


Hallowed

by OnlyTheInevitable



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Case Fic, Critique of toxic masculinity, Cults, F/M, Horror, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, MSR, RST, Sharing a Bed, Smut, UST, Undercover, Undercover as a Couple, down with the patriarchy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:27:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 70,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27654110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnlyTheInevitable/pseuds/OnlyTheInevitable
Summary: In order to get a dangerous, misogynistic cult shut down, Mulder and Scully have to go undercover as a married couple to destroy it from the inside. When they get a little too involved, how will they manage to come out alive?
Relationships: Fox Mulder & Dana Scully, Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Comments: 95
Kudos: 342
Collections: X-Files Case File Fanfic Exchange (2020)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RoseThornhill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseThornhill/gifts).



> Hi Alyse! I was so excited to get you! I tried to incorporate everything you wanted, and I hope you like it! I tried to put as many horror movie easter eggs in it as possible for you, and I'll put a list of them all at the end :)
> 
> Thank you so much for my betas: admiralty, MonikaFileFan, payback16, and SlippinMickeys.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new assignment is about to rock Mulder and Scully's worlds.

_Prologue - August 1999_

He was dying.

The toll of being here had wreaked such havoc on him, he wasn't sure if his soul was in a body or rattling around an empty shell. He felt the decay coursing through his body like his blood was lead, every step he took became heavier and heavier until he felt as if he'd inevitably sink into the ground and become entombed in his own grave. Sometimes he wished he could. He'd been seeing visions of the other side for the past few months and he yearned to be in that darkness. No worries, no pain, no guilt.

But there was no Rosemary there. He couldn't go on if she wasn't with him. This was all his fault and he knew it, and she was trying to be gracious but he knew she was miserable. _He'd_ made her miserable.

That's why they'd made this pact in the first place. " _If you see an out,take it. Run to the police station and get help."_

It sounded great in theory, but as he stood there twelve feet away from the open gate, his heartbeat deafening in his ears, he wasn't so sure it was as simple as they'd thought it to be. The tall, lifeless grass surrounding the compound was bending in the wind, like even God was telling him " _This way."_ He doubted he could get past the gate without anyone seeing. And if he left and the others saw, what would happen to Rosemary?

He looked over his shoulder, searching for the woman in question, and found the same steely blue eyes he'd lost himself in so many times before boring into him like an anchor in a sea of uncertainty.

There were no words audible to his ears, but there was no question what she mouthed. It was the same thing her eyes implored. " _Go._ "

"What are you doing, Neil?" a voice boomed from off in the distance.

He turned and saw the leader stalking towards him with a look of anger painting his features red. "Go," Rosemary's voice echoed in his head.

Without a second thought, he bolted through the wooden gate, his feet moving quicker than he'd ever thought possible. Outside of the gate, he felt lighter than ever. He felt free.

That is, until he heard a distinct, blood-curdling scream.

_Chapter One - February 2000_

_Dana Scully's Apartment Complex_

_3170 West 53 Rd., Apartment #35_

_Georgetown, Washington D.C._

_7:35 A.M. Saturday_

While he'd never look a gift horse in the mouth when it came to seeing Scully on the weekends, when the reasoning was an impromptu Saturday meeting with Skinner, Mulder couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. They'd both received an email from their boss that read: _Meeting in my office. Saturday at 8am. Be discreet, tell no one._

It would be hypocritical of him to say the older man was acting odd, but he couldn't help the suspicion blooming in his gut that something unpleasant was looming.

Mulder glanced at the clock and saw he was making good time. He'd offered a ride to Scully with the secret hope they could go out to lunch together after the meeting was over, and he was pleased to hear her accept. Now he was just sitting in his car outside her complex, staring up at the window he knew was hers from all the nights of " _Wave at me so I know you made it up alright."_

Like she could sense him, the curtains peeked open and he saw Scully look down at the street below, checking to see if he'd arrived yet. He caught the moment she spotted his car because her face lit up in a smile, and she lifted a hand to wave down at him. He honked the horn twice in quick succession in response, and he chuckled to himself when he saw her roll her eyes. She lifted up a finger and mouthed _one minut_ e, to which he honked in acknowledgement. He laughed again when she saw her let out a huff of amusement before shaking her head and disappearing behind the curtains.

Mulder turned in his seat and looked over to the center console and made sure the coffee he'd picked up for her hadn't leaked before changing the radio station from the sports review to the alternative music station he knew she liked. Looking in the mirror, he bared his teeth to make sure he didn't have any breakfast lingering behind before resigning himself to tapping his fingers against the worn material of the steering wheel.

It had been like this for them since the New Year. The Mulder who'd never experienced the decadence of Scully's lips on his own was left behind in the 90s, and in his place was a new Mulder who just wanted to see what else the aughts might bring. He may have designated himself to just being a hopeless romantic if it weren't for the way she was reciprocating. She was flirtier, she played along with him more, she instigated them hanging out outside of work more. Hell, just a few cases ago she'd played with his tie, pouted her lips at him, and asked if he would do something 'just for her'. Things were changing and he'd be blind not to see it.

But changing into _what_ he wasn't so sure.

The passenger door opening drew him out of his reverie, and he turned with a smile to welcome Scully into the car. She was wearing a purple sweater that complemented her figure nicely, paired with an equally complementary black skirt - even her casual attire looked effortlessly professional. Her perfume wafted into the car like an olfactory greeting, which was one of his favorite parts of giving her a ride - the way her smell would linger even when she wasn't there anymore.

"I think my neighbors are going to come out here and trash your car one of these days if you keep that up," she laughed, buckling herself in.

"I was gentle," he teased back, pulling out onto the street and making his way to the Hoover Building.

"Gentle at a loud decibel," she retorted before making a sound of happy surprise. "Is this for me?"

He turned and saw her pointing to one of the coffee cups with her five-step order scrawled on the top. "Yep," he replied with a smile as he saw her beam.

"Thank you, Mulder," she cooed with a lilt. He felt himself smiling again in response to her simple gratitude. They'd been doing little things for each other, and though they'd done things like this for all of their partnership - grabbing a coffee for the other, getting the other something they thought they'd like, etc - it was being done with more and more frequency and it felt oddly domestic. He loved it.

"Why do you think Skinner called us in on a Saturday?" she asked. "And why all the secrecy?"

"Do you think we're being assigned a case?" he asked. "If we were being reprimanded, he wouldn't have made us come in on a weekend for it."

Scully paused for a moment, nodding as she thought about it. "But why us?" she replied.

"Maybe it's all an elaborate excuse so he could catch a glimpse of you in your street clothes," he teased.

"Damn, if I'd known that maybe I would have worn a halter top and booty shorts," she sighed in mock disappointment.

"It's not too late. I can turn around," he jokingly offered, slowing down in the middle of the road.

"Mulder!" she laughed, twisting in her seat to make sure no one was behind him.

He chuckled and a companionable silence fell between them for the remainder of the ride there. However, as they got closer, a sense of mutual anxiety fell upon them. Even though they'd been reinstated on the X-Files for over a year, he'd be lying if he said he didn't fear the day would come when they found a reason to shut them down for good. Knowing how much Skinner looked out for them, it wasn't unreasonable to think the man would take care with letting them down gently. Maybe that's what this all was for. He slid into his usual parking spot and felt a sense of foreboding unease wash over him.

"You ready?" Scully asked, unbuckling her seatbelt and grabbing her purse and coffee.

"As I'll ever be," he replied, grabbing his own cup before following her.

The Hoover Building felt like a ghost town contrasted to the usual weekday hustle and bustle of the hallway. Aside from the janitors polishing the floors, it felt like they were the only ones there. "Arlene isn't even here," Scully whispered upon entering Skinner's waiting room.

"Confidential enough to warrant avoiding the gossip of the secretarial pool," Mulder whispered back conspiratorially. "Spooky."

"Agents, I'm glad you could make it," Skinner called out from behind them. They both jumped and turned to see Skinner joining them from the hallway. "Thank you for meeting me on such short notice and on your day off."

"Of course, sir," Scully greeted.

"I can assure you it will be worth your time," he added, motioning for them to enter his office.

Mulder wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but the addition of two other men in Skinner's office wasn't it. They both turned to look at Skinner who walked towards the table, addressing the strangers, "These are the Agents I was telling you about."

Mulder and Scully walked towards the open seats at the table slowly as Skinner made introductions. "Agent Scully, Agent Mulder, meet Neil Howie and Dick Halloran."

"Nice to meet you," Scully smiled, shaking both men's hands before taking a seat, Mulder following suit.

"Let me cut to the chase," Skinner stated firmly. "We need your help on a case, Agents."

Mulder felt a weight lift off his shoulders at the knowledge that they weren't in trouble, but it didn't clue him into why they were needed. "What kind of help?" he asked.

"Mr. Howie's recently escaped from a death cult, and in light of Heaven's Gate, Waco, Jonestown, and all those millennium cults last year, the FBI has taken a strong interest in the case," Skinner replied. "We need people on the inside and your insight from the X-Files, as well as your history of working well undercover, makes you the perfect candidates."

"Death cult?" Scully repeated. "Wouldn't that fall to Violent Crimes?"

"Under normal circumstances, yes. But we've been working with an agent down in New Orleans specializing in Ritualistic Satanic Abuse, and she's warned us that this cult utilizes unconventional methods to keep the cultists in line. Unconventional methods that fall more into your purview," he explained. "I think it would be best if I let Mr. Howie fill you in himself."

They turned to the thin man sitting on the other side of Skinner. He had dirty blond hair and dark circles under his eyes. He looked timid, glancing at Skinner for permission to speak before beginning. "Y-you can just call me Neil. I, um, in 1998 I joined this group The Hallowed. I found them on an online forum. I was having a hard time finding a job, and they offered free housing and meals as long as I was willing to tend the land and devote myself to a communal, spiritual lifestyle."

Neil nervously reached out his hand and took a large gulp of water before continuing. "Um, me and my wife decided it would be good for us, so we moved. But right from the get go we knew we'd made a bad decision."

"Why's that?" Scully asked gently.

"They, um, they have oddly traditional values. Men being superior to women, women needing to be subservient to men. If we hadn't gone in as a married couple, I would have been gifted a bride," he explained.

Mulder glanced over at Scully and he saw her jaw clench beneath her skin. It sounded like they were going to be going undercover at this place, and he knew this was going to be hard on her. "What else was off?" Mulder asked.

"We had to participate in this huge ceremony of welcome, but it was all so performative. After that we were given our home, and we learned our expectations. Rosemary, my wife, she and the other women were expected to do the household chores and tend to the kids, but they aren't allowed to speak or look at any of the men. They aren't even allowed out of the house past a certain time. The men have to do the labor, but they also have to attend nightly gatherings," he stated.

"What types of gatherings?" Scully prompted.

"T-they focus on a specific man and brutalize him," he whispered.

"What do you mean?" Mulder asked, brows furrowing.

"They teach us that there is another realm we can go to, where souls from beyond can meet with us and communicate. But, the realm can only be reached after a certain pain threshold has been met," he answered.

"Why didn't you leave?" Scully asked.

The man got silent and shifted in his seat nervously. "In '86 I drove after drinking too much, and I killed a college girl walking home from the library."

Tension fell over the room as they all digested the confession. "And that's why it was hard for you to find a job? Because you have a criminal record," Scully filled in.

"No one wants to hire a murderer," he replied. "It was an accident. I haven't had a drink since."

Mulder was about to ask another question when Neil spoke up again, "And… I saw her there."

"What do you mean?" Mulder asked.

"The girl, the one I hit. On my first night there, I saw her during the ritual. They said I could see her again if I was loyal to the group," he explained. He started to tear up as his voice grew tight, "I just wanted to tell her how sorry I am."

Scully turned in her seat and rifled through her purse before passing the man a packet of Kleenex. "Thank you," he replied softly.

"Was that how most of the men were lured? Hard on their luck and desperate?" Scully asked.

He nodded before blowing his nose. "All the men there have some sort of criminal background, which is why I think some of them get so into the ritual side of it. They are given permission and encouraged to be brutes, and anyone who has participated in the ritual wants to stay because it's addictive."

"Why do the women stay?" she followed.

Neil looked at her like it was a ridiculous question. "They can't leave."

"What do you mean?"

"At The Hallowed, they are the property of the men. If they were to leave, or even when they don't follow the rules, they are punished," he answered.

"Punished?" Scully asked, quirking her brow.

The man realized the impression he'd given her and quickly started shaking his head. "No, no, _I_ never laid a hand on Rosemary. I tried to keep her safe. It was the others who tried to enforce the gender dynamic. I think some of the men enjoyed it."

"Where is Rosemary now?" Mulder asked.

The man's face crumpled at the question and a few more tears fell down the already laid tracks on his cheeks. "I had to leave her there," he keened. "We were trying to find a way to escape, and she told me if I ever saw an out to take it and come back for her. So one day I saw the gate was left open and I ran as fast as I could to the police station. I thought we could go back and get her."

"Why couldn't you?" Scully asked.

For the first time since the introductions, the other man in the room spoke up. "I'm the Sheriff of Springwood. We went to get her as soon as Neil explained the situation, but…" he paused, taking a deep breath. "She wasn't there."

Neil's face contorted in pain as he let out a low whimper. The unspoken implication was deafening, but no one asked. "We didn't even need to get a warrant, we were allowed to check everywhere and it looked spotless. No sign of her."

"You have to find out what they did to her," Neil sobbed.

"That's where you come in, Agents," Skinner stated. "If there are a group of people in there being held against their will, we need someone to go in and find out. On top of that, it sounds like some of the men have been killed during the ritual, is that right, Neil?"

Neil nodded softly and Skinner continued, "We have reports of murder and domestic violence, and kidnapping is a federal crime." We've been in contact with the connection Neil made on the online recruiting site, and we have an invite."

"An invite?" Scully repeated.

"Tomorrow afternoon, Robert and Katherine Thorn will be picked up at a designated spot in Sherman Oaks, California by a cultist and brought onto the compound to start their new lives," Skinner explained. "I'm sorry for the lack of proper notice, but this has been on the cult's terms, not ours. Now that we have an in, we need to take it."

"Why weren't we consulted beforehand?" Mulder asked. "How long have you been talking to the group?"

"A little under two weeks, and we hadn't anticipated things would move so quickly. As for the secrecy, with how much the media focuses on anything with the word 'cult' or 'Satanic Panic' we couldn't risk this getting out. If there's wind that we're onto them, we can't anticipate what they'd do," Skinner replied. "Again, I apologize for the late notice."

Mulder shifted in his chair uncomfortably. Last time they went undercover it had been under more favorable circumstances, a big, comfy house, connection to the outside world, a bit of freedom - this case entailed himself likely being physically abused while Scully, his fiercely independent partner, was forced to be subservient to him. A situation neither of them would find favorable. "What protection do Scully and I have?" he asked.

"Sheriff Halloran is going to be assisting you on the operation. We're going to help you smuggle a phone in so you can contact him with progress reports and in case you feel that you're in danger," Skinner stated.

"After you get a layout of the place, we can figure out a meeting place. Since none of the women were allowed to talk to Neil, we aren't sure how some of the women got there. They may be abducted locals. If you can get some evidence or anything compelling and you're able to pass it along to me, we can start making a substantial case against them. Without that, they're just a group of people being weird, and we can't charge them for that. Especially when they can always see us coming and hide anything unsavory," Halloran explained.

"The ball is in your court, Agents," Skinner said."I can't force you to accept the case, but-"

"I accept," Scully stated firmly.

Skinner looked as surprised as Mulder felt at the strength of her conviction, but it made sense. There was no way Scully could stand by knowing that there were voiceless women suffering. It went against her nature.

"Me too," he agreed. If he was being honest with himself. This made him uncomfortable, and if it were up to him, he'd rather other agents be sent on the case. She'd just started getting back to her normal self since the Donnie Pfaster case, and he was worried being around evil men might bring up some bad memories. But he'd be damned before he tried to stop her, and if she was going, he was going.

A look of relief passed over Skinner's face and he nodded appreciatively. "Thank you. Both of you." He reached over to his side and pulled out a manila envelope. "Here's all the information we have. It's not much, but it's something. There's also a copy of the chat log and the demographic data we used. I expect you two can come up with some sort of back story for yourselves," he said, a layer of suggestion implicit in his tone.

"No matter what, make sure they know you're married," Neil spoke up. "If they suspect you aren't, you might be broken up and coupled with someone else. I've seen it before. They may be messed up, but in their eyes marriage means the woman belongs to the man without question."

Scully looked over at him and they shared a moment of mutual anxiety over what they'd just gotten themselves into. Skinner pushed the folder across the table to them and added, "Your tickets are in there as well. You leave for California tonight."

Scully took the folder and nodded her head softly. "Is there anything else?" Mulder asked.

"Yeah," Skinner replied with a nod. "Come back alive."

.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulder and Scully are welcomed into the Hallowed

_Goodwill_

_Sherman Oaks, California_

_4:12 P.M. Sunday_

"Do I look like a Rob?" Mulder asked, worrying a seed between his teeth.

"What do you mean?" she asked, checking for the third time in ten minutes if anyone was coming down the road.

"I was Rob on the last case, and now I'm Rob again," he explained, looking at his reflection in the Goodwill window.

Scully chuckled at him before leaning against the white painted brick. "May I remind you that _you_ chose our names last time, and you don't have to be Rob. You could be Robert or Bob or Robbie," she mused.

He made a face before shaking his head. "I'll take Rob."

She was reminded of that case, not all that far from where they were now, and the slightly embarrassed look that had passed his face when she'd called him out on the _Dick Van Dyke Show_ reference. He hadn't chosen anything outrageous or made a joke of it like she would have thought. Mulder had endearingly chosen a married couple on television that he liked. She pretended that was all she knew - as if her mother didn't always watch repeats of the show lamenting how intense the chemistry between Rob and Laura was.

"Just be thankful your alias isn't actually part of your real name," she replied, playing with the diamond wedding ring on her finger. " _Katherine_. It's going to feel like I'm getting in trouble every time someone says it to me."

" _You_? In _trouble?"_ he teased. "Now that I don't believe."

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly before checking the road again. "How did we meet?" she quizzed, changing the topic abruptly. They'd spent all night studying their new identities at her apartment over a feast of chinese, but she couldn't help but want to make absolutely sure they were on the same page. There was no room for mistakes on this case.

"High School," he replied immediately, having grown accustomed to the spontaneous pop quizzes she'd been springing on him. "I was failing biology and you, _Katherine,"_ he emphasized with a suggestive lowering of his voice, "-were my tutor. But instead of sticking to biology you taught me some human anatomy, and we've been together ever since."

"Ha. Ha," she replied evenly. "When did we get married?"

"March 6th, 1993," he replied. "Seven years now."

The fact he'd chosen the actual date they became partners wasn't lost on her, nor was the fact that he knew it instinctively without even blinking. He'd shrugged and told her that it would be easy to remember, but the sentimentality still struck her.

"Where do we work?" he asked, popping another seed into his mouth.

"I was an elementary school science teacher, but I quit so we could move. You used to be a bus driver, but you weren't paying attention and there was an accident. No one will hire you anymore," she recited. It was a dark story, but the file Skinner had complied for his backstory stated that if they used substance abuse or alcohol as a reason for his life's failings, Mulder would have to act like he was experiencing withdrawals and he might have to imbibe if pressured. The bus driver cover story didn't require as much nuance while still being clear of why it would be hard to find a job.

"Are you still comfortable with us answering our own information if something mundane is asked?" he replied.

They'd agreed last night that it would be easier to rely on their own friendship for answers rather than try to make a cover story for every pedantic thing. Small things like Rob being more of a morning person than Katherine, Rob preferring autumn to spring, Katherine enjoying baths instead of showers. Small, stupid things that likely wouldn't come up, but if the stars aligned and they both mentioned it to someone, it would be easier for their stories to stay straight than them both making up things completely opposite from each other.

"Yeah, I think that's good. Just no identifying information that could get us traced," she nodded, picking at her fingernails again.

There was a moment of quiet before he asked, "Are you nervous?"

She sighed. According to Neil, they were going to be welcomed to a strip search when they entered the compound under the guise of 'searching for drugs.' Because of that, they weren't able to smuggle in a phone, it would be up to Halloran to get that to them. Their supposed agreement with the Hallowed was that they were coming to start their new lives, so they were only permitted one small bag each which would be searched upon entry. They were going in relatively naked.

"I'll feel better when we find the rendezvous point and pick up the phone," she answered.

"That's not what I meant," he replied.

She looked over at him and caught him staring at her nails, a nervous habit he no doubt noticed. She put her hands into the pockets of her jeans and nodded. "It's going to be uncomfortable, but I'm more worried about you," she replied honestly.

"Me?" he repeated.

"Yeah, women may be treated like objects, but as far as Neil made it sound, the women are beaten by their husbands, which I won't have to worry about," she said, gesturing to him.

"Damn straight," he nodded.

She continued without acknowledging him. "The men on the other hand are subjected to what sounds like ritualistic torture and eventually death," she deadpanned as if to imply _obviously._

"It won't come to that," he reassured.

"I still don't like it," she murmured out of concern. It irritated her how flippant he was about his own safety, yet how overbearing he could be about hers.

After a moment, Mulder blurted: "We should have a safe word."

"Excuse me?" she asked.

He turned his body so that he was facing her fully. "A safe word. Something we can say in front of each other to indicate we need to get out or if something awful happens. In case we're near other people and can't openly blow our cover, but we can let the other know that we need to fake something to get us away from everyone else."

It sounded a bit dramatic, but she could tell he was trying to put her at ease. It _would_ make her feel better too. "Okay, like what?" she nodded.

"Alien," he suggested with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Oh yeah, because that word just slides so easily into conversations. Hi Juliette, can you pass the butter? Also, did you see that alien last night?" she teased. "Sounds good."

He smiled and rolled his eyes. "It has to be something that won't come up on accident and confuse us."

She licked her lips as she tried to wrack her brain. "Queequeg." He grimaced and before he could contest it, she added, "It's unusual, and it would be easy to formulate a question and drop it in there without it being obvious."

"I saw a rat the other day and it reminded me of your old dog, Katherine. What was his name? Queequeg?" he mused, smiling at her blank expression. "You're right, that is easy."

"Good, so it's settled. If we feel we are in danger or have learned something awful, say Queequeg," she nodded.

"Let's hope we don't have to," he stated, nodding in agreement.

She was about to pose another pop-quiz question when she saw an old looking red car driving down the road. Mulder let out a low whistle and stated, "That's a Plymouth Fury. We're getting picked up in style."

She stared at the car making its way towards them as if it was a harbinger of evil. She didn't know when they'd get out of this, or what would happen to them while they were in there and it made her anxious. Mulder must've noticed because she felt his hand slide across her shoulder blades as his warm breath hit her ear. "We're going to be okay, Scully."

Turning to look at him, she was met with his face only a few inches from her own, his hazel eyes boring into hers. "I'm holding you to that, Mulder," she whispered.

They broke apart as the car pulled up in front of them. Scully was surprised when a scrawny, teenage boy popped out. "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Thorn?" he asked.

"That's us," Mulder exclaimed, grabbing her shoulder enthusiastically.

"I'm here on behalf of the Hallowed. I will be escorting you to the community," he stated.

"Thank you so much," Scully beamed before asking, "What's your name?"

There was a moment of silence where Scully wondered if he hadn't heard her before she realized he was actively choosing not to look at her or acknowledge her. She didn't expect it would start this soon, but she knew this was foreshadowing of what was to come. Scully shifted her weight from one foot to the other self-consciously as Mulder restated her question, an obvious annoyance in his tone.

"Isaac Chroner. Nice to meet you, sir, you have a lovely wife," he replied with a small nod, as if the compliment was sufficient payment for ignoring her.

"That I do," Mulder replied, walking towards the car.

"Here, I can take your bags," he hurried, grabbing the two bags Mulder had in his hand before rushing to put them in the back seat on the passenger's side.

"No room in the trunk?" Mulder asked, his tone implying he'd been intending for them to sit in the back together.

"Afraid not sir," he replied, shutting the door before walking around to the driver's side door. "I apologize if it's cramped."

"I'll manage," Mulder smiled, walking to the backseat and winking at her.

Scully wanted to laugh at the kid's face when he realized he'd have to sit next to her for the whole ride, looking at her -or more accurately, her direction- before looking back at Mulder as if he wanted to contest but couldn't because Mulder was older.

Sending a beaming smile at the boy, she slid into the passenger's seat. "Are we far from the compound?" she asked, testing the waters again when he was settled and pulling out of the lot.

There was silence, but she saw Isaac look into the rear mirror to glance at Mulder who offered no translation. "It's somewhere in the valley, right?" she tried again.

He slowed to a stop at the light and pulled something out of his side console. He unfolded the paper, revealing it to be a map, drawing two dots before wordlessly handing it to her, careful not to brush fingers.

"Thank you," she replied sweetly, noticing his face was bright red.

She felt Mulder scootch up closer so that he was looking over her shoulder. "Looks like we're here," she pointed. "And the compound is about...here."

"So… just twenty miles away?" Mulder asked, his tone flat. The fact the kid couldn't just say that was a bit aggravating to both of them..

"Yes, sir," he nodded. "We should be there in about thirty minutes."

She folded up the map and handed it back to him. "Thank you," she said tersely.

He took it and stuffed it back without saying a word. "Isaac, I don't mean to make you uncomfortable, but is there a reason you won't talk to her?" Mulder asked.

"Um, at the Hallowed, women aren't allowed to speak so freely to men," he replied.

"But you're still a teenager," Mulder remarked.

"Passed puberty," he said proudly, causing Scully to lock eyes with Mulder in the rearview mirror and suppress a smirk at the clear denial of the boy.

"So she shouldn't be speaking to you, but why can't you speak to her?" he asked.

"B-because I'm an eligible bachelor, and she's a claimed woman. It's distasteful," he replied.

Scully felt her brows furrow and couldn't help but remark, "Eligible bachelor? How old are you, sixteen?"

She watched as he looked out of the corner of his eye at her before nodding once sharply. "And you're allowed to get married that young?"

Another nod.

She looked over her shoulder at Mulder whose mouth was in a thin line. They were sent here to look for illegal activity that could give reasonable cause for the feds to get involved, and they hadn't even gotten to the lot yet and they had a report of a crime.

"Victor says it's okay," he whispered, as if speaking in full voice to her would be worse.

"And Victor is the leader of the group?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, seemingly willing to break the rules since he hadn't faced criticism from them.

"How many people do you think live there?" Mulder asked from in between them.

"I think 52," he responded before adding, in a much more somber tone. "Wait, no. 51."

"What hap-" Mulder began before being cut off.

"But 53 now that you two are here," he said with so much enthusiasm it was clearly a cover.

"Do you like it there?" she asked, watching his face.

He looked over at her, his gaze falling to her collarbone before snapping back to the road. "Y-yeah. I was born there. It's home." he replied unconvincingly, his voice cracking while speaking.

"What other rules should we know before going? I don't want to mess anything up," she asked kindly, hoping that framing it like he was helping her would make him more inclined to reveal more. This was a teenage boy after all, surely a chance to buck against authority, even under the influence of a cult would be tempting.

It worked because he sat up straighter, nodding as he thought. "You're going to hear more at the welcome meeting, but we do abide by pretty strict rules. Um, women shouldn't look or talk to men outside of the household, especially not to a man that they don't belong to."

"Yep. Got that one," Scully stated pointedly.

"Women are expected to be in their homes after dark, no exceptions and it does change with the seasons. Men have a mandatory nightly meeting at eight o'clock that lasts about an hour," he added.

"What happens at the nightly meeting?" Mulder asked.

There was a pregnant pause in the car after Mulder asked that. She saw the boy's grip tighten around the steering wheel as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Scully risked a glance at Mulder who looked equally as aware of the boy's shift in demeanor. Neil had mentioned in the case reports that the nightly meetings were where most of the violence happened, and she was starting to wonder if the boy deemed it too disturbing to actually mention.

"Are you okay, Isaac?" Scully asked softly, leaning her head forward to try to see his face better.

"Imntodengh," he mumbled too fast to make out.

"What was that?" Mulder asked, leaning forward in his seat.

"I-I'm not… old enough yet to go to the meetings," he mumbled, disheartened.

Scully and Mulder both deflated as they let out a long sigh, Isaac adding, "You can only go after pledging your life-long devotion which can happen after you get married or after you turn eighteen, whichever comes first."

That didn't make much sense to her, but she knew from the case report that the Hallowed often arranged marriages. In their warped view they probably saw their gift to men of women as incentive enough for the men to stay. That, and it seemed like there wasn't opportunity to refuse.

"Anything else we should know?" she asked as she watched him go further into the mountains, turning onto a long dirt road.

There was another pause before he softly, but firmly, stated, "If I were you, ma'am, I would try to stay away from two men in particular: Jason and Tobe."

"Why?" she replied.

"You're very beautiful, ma'am," he replied. At first it seemed like a random declaration before she realized that was his answer to her question. She didn't want to think too hard about what he meant by that.

"Thank you," she murmured softly.

"Is that it?" Mulder asked, referencing the tall wooden gate looming up ahead.

"Yes, sir," he responded before straightening up in his seat. "C-can you two not tell anyone I said anything? Or that I spoke to you, ma'am?"

"Your secret is safe with us, and we really appreciate it," Scully replied sweetly with a smile, making him blush again.

They were greeted by two gruff men opening the gate for them, both leaning down to look into the car and get a good look at the newcomers. If Scully didn't know any better, nothing would have seemed off about the community. It honestly reminded her of _Little House on the Prairie_ meets suburbia. The compound seemed to be several acres large with several, modern looking houses scattered all about. However, she didn't see anyone except for a gray haired man and a younger looking woman standing side by side.

"That's Victor and his wife," Isaac whispered, not moving his mouth.

The car pulled into a dirt version of a parking lot and Isaac got out quickly to grab the bags and lead them over to the pair.

"Robert and Katherine Thorn, I presume?" the man asked pleasantly.

"That's us," Mulder replied.

"Nice to meet you," Scully remarked, testing the waters.

Victor looked her way as Isaac stared at her wide-eyed. "It is nice to meet you too," he replied shortly. "My name is Victor and this is my wife, Sally."

Isaac handed their bags to him and Victor dismissed him before turning back to Mulder and Scully. "I apologize for the invasion, we just have to make sure nothing unsavory makes its way into the community."

"That's okay," Mulder replied as Victor opened the bag that was hers. "We got your email where you said to leave everything behind except small trinkets. We're so grateful for your hospitality."

"Of course," Victor replied, pulling out an empty journal Scully had brought so they could record anything they saw. It appeared that anything that passed was given to Sally to hold. The journal, the bible she'd brought to make them look good, and a deck of cards in case they got bored. She'd also brought a stock photo of a family, not wanting to bring a personal one but wanting to give off the impression she'd be missing her family. Victor set the frame on the ground and handed the bag to Sally to re-put everything back in. "I apologize, but that will not be permitted."

"The family photo?" Scully asked, confused.

"We are your family now," he said dismissively, opening Mulder's bag.

They repeated the process and, of Mulder's belongings that passed: a photo of just the two of them, a first aid kit just in case, and his remaining bag of sunflower seeds.

The thing that caused him to bump was a pair of binoculars Mulder planned to use when they were in the home to check the compound. "What are these?" Victor asked, holding them up as if they were revolting.

"I'm a bird watcher," Mulder boasted with fake pride.

"Nothing flies around here," Victor said before letting the binoculars tumble onto the picture frame, cracking the glass carelessly.

Sally repackaged Mulder's belongings before handing him the bag, careful not to make eye contact with him.

"The last thing we need of you two before the Welcome Ceremony is for you to disrobe so we can make sure you aren't hiding anything on your persons. We'll take your clothes and dispose of them, and give you the traditional clothing of the Hallowed," Victor stated.

"Right here?" Mulder asked.

"It will only be me, your wife, and Sally," Victor replied with over-enthusiastic chivalry. "I will only look at you, and Sally will only look at Katherine."

Scully didn't like this, but they'd been primed about a strip search happening. Mulder let out a low breath and she knew he felt the same. Knowing there was little they could do and wanting to get this over with, she started unbuttoning her jeans, the sound of her zipper lowering deafening in the silence.

Disrobing outside and in front of strangers wasn't something she'd ever anticipated doing in her life, but Sally was being kind about it, doing quick sweeps before averting her eye to somewhere innocuous on Scully's body, like a shoulder or the crown of her head. She held out her arms and collected each article of clothing Scully was taking off. In her periphery, she saw the same occurring with Mulder.

After removing her outwear, she was left in just her bra and panties, trying to avoid looking as self-conscious as she felt. She reached around and unclasped her bra, the straps sliding down her arms as the cups fell forward, exposing herself to the elements. She looked up and saw Sally was staring at the ground to respect her modesty, glancing to the side, she immediately met Victor's gaze and was struck by his brazenness. Based on the case file, she'd expected to see something lascivious in his eyes, but his stare was blank, emotionlessly raking over her body as if taking inventory, which was somehow even more peturbing.

Scully curved her shoulders inward and tilted her body away so that her back was facing him, hoping to discreetly shield her breasts from his view. She heard him emit a _tsk_ noise and had to resist the urge to roll her eyes when her blood ran cold.

She felt the burn of his eyes on her lower back as he sighed: "A whore. It's always hard when they ink the scarlet letter into their own flesh."

She wanted to turn around and slap him, but she knew just seeing her reaction would give him what he wanted. This was as transparent as could be, he just wanted to embarrass her. Belittle her. A weak man intimidated by a strong woman. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of thinking he mattered.

She should have known Mulder wouldn't be able to just let it slide.

"I like it. It was for me," she heard him reply.

"And the navel ring? Was that for you too, or another man she marked herself for?" Victor asked, the judgement barely concealed behind curiosity.

Scully felt her cheeks burn despite herself. As far as she was aware, Mulder had never seen her belly button piercing, or at least never told her he had, and having her body discussed so openly _to_ him while she was right there made her uncomfortable. They were speaking in locker room talk that had become the public standard.

"For her," he stated with, what sounded like, pride in his voice.

"Can you remove it, Katherine?" he asked, though it sounded far more like a demand than a question.

She glanced over her shoulder, furrowing her brow at him and stated, "I'm not going to."

She watched as his jaw clenched, but before he had a chance to respond, Mulder interjected with an awkward laugh. "What happened to eyes on me, Victor?"

"I apologize for overstepping, Robert," he stated lowly, turning back to Mulder. "Just know I meant nothing lewd by it. You all are my children, there is nothing perverted about my actions," he justified, only making himself sound more perverted than the action alone.

Scully turned back around and, as quickly as possible, slid her underwear down her legs, handing them to Sally who swiftly gave her her new clothes. They were the same as Sally's: a thin, white babydoll dress with long sleeves and an above-knee hemline. She let it fall out of her hands onto the ground as she stepped into her underwear, trying as hard as possible to avoid bending over. She then leaned slightly to pick the garment up, shaking it slightly with a furrowed brow upon seeing nothing fall away. Turning to Sally, she whispered, "I didn't get a bra."

Sally leaned forward and gently murmured, "We don't believe in bras at the Hallowed. Those are a societal construct."

Scully felt her lips purse in dissatisfaction _. Funny how when men make the rules, bras are a social construct yet oppressing women isn't,_ she thought to herself.

Taking a deep breath, she figured there was no use in fighting and slid the dress over her head, trying to look down and make sure it wasn't too thin as to be sheer. "You look lovely, Katherine," Sally reassured.

Scully looked over and smiled, turning to check on Mulder, only to shoot her eyes away upon seeing he was still fully nude. "It's just your husband, Katherine. You should feel no shame looking upon him," Victor stated.

She realized that was very un-wifely of her, but she just politely smiled and chose to look around the perimeter instead, looking discreetly over Sally's shoulders rather than back at Mulder. There were a few homes not too far away and as she looked at them, she saw the curtains fluttering - as if someone had just been staring at them only to retreat when they thought they'd be seen.

Apparently lack of privacy was a standard here.

"Strapping, Rob," Victor boasted, after another minute. She turned over and saw Mulder was wearing a white henley shirt and some jeans that complimented him well.

He looked at her, his eyes roaming down quickly, as if he didn't want to be rude, before meeting her gaze. They shared a look that was broken apart by the clapping of Victor's hands. "Well now, I believe the others are waiting. They are very excited to meet you."

They followed behind Victor and Sally, trying to look around as much as possible, but only seeing grassy fields and houses. The only thing out of the ordinary was the tall barn-looking structure they were walking towards. "What's that?" Mulder asked.

"It's the Great Hall," Victor boasted. "That's where we all gather together as a community."

Scully couldn't remember the last time she'd walked on grass without shoes, and the blades tickled the soles of her feet. It added to the fake sense of innocence that the community seemed so desperate to maintain. She startled a bit as she felt something brushing against her fingertips only to realize it was Mulder entwining his fingers into hers to hold her hand. He squeezed her hand lightly as if to say _We've got this._

Without Victor even having to say anything, the doors to the large entryway opened up, revealing line upon line of rudimentary pews full of people. Isaac's estimation seemed about right in terms of numbers, as there were enough people to almost fill the large space. "Follow me to the front," Victor instructed.

Sally stayed behind, staying in one of the rows as they followed Victor to the front. With every row they passed, the members stood up wordlessly without having to be instructed, none of them turning to face away from the front of the hall where a mock-stage made out of plywood stood.

They followed Victor as he motioned for them to climb up with him. They turned awkwardly and saw a mix of emotions on the faces of the crowd - everything from what looked like worry to beaming enthusiasm. Their attention was drawn back as the leader began. "Thank you all for joining us here on such a special day. I am pleased to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Thorn." The sound of thunderous applause broke out and they shared a nervous glance before turning their attention back to Victor.

"Robert comes to us like many of you, broken and shamed by society. A former bus driver whose negligence caused the fatalities of several children," he explained. It was a cover story that wasn't based in any truth, but she still felt indignant at the man so openly sharing something so intimate in front of this crowd.

"As many of you know, the world can be cruel and unforgiving. Here we pride ourselves on giving second chances and showing our men how _fulfilling_ life can be," he continued, resulting in several men making sounds of agreement.

Turning to them, he stated, "Robert, are you and Katherine ready to devote yourself to our community, agreeing to abide by our rules and all that it entails?"

"We are," he replied with a nod.

"I will now lay out the rules and expectations, if you feel that either you or your wife are not ready to submit yourselves fully, you will be escorted off the property," he implored. He turned to Mulder first, "You will be expected to do physical labor on the farm, doing whatever duties you are instructed to complete. You will also be required to attend a nightly meeting with all the men of the Hallowed."

Mulder nodded before adding, "What are the nightly meetings?"

Victor smiled, baring all of his teeth, "All in due time, Robert." Then, turning to Scully, he added, "Katherine, you are to do all of the housework, cooking, cleaning, tending after the Hallowed children, and you are to abide by everything your husband tells you."

"Okay," she replied with a nod.

A gasp emitted from the audience, causing Mulder and her to look over their shoulders. Everyone was looking at Scully in abject horror, the room so deathly silent a pin drop would have been deafening. Scully even noticed one of the women had placed her hand over one of her child's eyes, shielding his view. Turning back to Victor, he was smiling at her like a lion whose fangs missed biting a lamb. Furious, but confident.

"The other expectation of you, my dear Katherine, is that you are never to look at nor speak to a man in the Hallowed unless you are in your own home. You didn't know better earlier," he soothed with malice.

She made eye contact with Victor until he lifted an eyebrow at her cautiously. She lowered her gaze to look at his tie and he cooed, "Much better."

Turning to Mulder again, he asked, "Do you agree to obey these rules, Robert?"

"Yes," he replied shortly. Victor extended his hand out to Mulder and the room erupted in applause.

Victor clapped Mulder on the shoulder like a proud parent as the applause died down and he turned his attention to Scully. "Katherine, as you are tied with Robert, you also are expected to abide by these rules. All you need to do is follow his lead and stay on the path of purity."

She wasn't quite sure what to do since she couldn't look nor acknowledge him, so she just nodded her head.

"Good, now kiss his feet," he stated resolutely. "Demonstrate your obedience."

Tension filled her body at the ridiculous request, she felt her hackles raise and everything in her wanted to look up and glare at the man.

"Vict-"Mulder began, likely ready to insist that wasn't necessary.

"No. Robert. If she's as subservient to you as she should be, she should be grateful for the opportunity," he barked, leaving no room for questions.

Scully could feel the palpable indignation radiating off of her and had no doubt Mulder knew it. They'd barely been there and she was having to degrade herself in front of several dozen strangers after the verbal harassment she'd already endured. She'd likely pissed Victor off during her short time here and this was his retribution. She settled her face into a mask of complete indifference, rage settled underneath her facade of consent.

She turned so she was in front of him before lowering herself to her knees. Leaning down on her hands, she felt the ends of her hair tickle her cheeks before brushing the tops of Mulder's feet, and she pressed her lips to his warm skin, her breath exhaling through her nose. She moved onto the other foot before easing herself up so that she was sitting on her heels, making loaded eye contact with Mulder. She could tell he wanted to look away, not wanting to see her in this vulnerable position she hadn't put herself in voluntarily, but he must've known looking away would have been a bigger insult.

Mulder held out his hand to her and she took it gratefully, standing up with his assistance. She was about to let go when she got up, but he squeezed her hand, keeping them connected - a comfort she needed.

She didn't need to look to know Victor was beaming, in his mind thrilled he'd embarrassed the wife of a man whose last option was joining this place. Mulder squeezed her hand again before Victor boasted, "Now that you are both pledged to the community, the men shall take Rob out into the field to learn the tricks of the trade as the women stay behind and do the same with Katherine. As in the past, on this day only, you ladies are permitted to speak outside the home, as long as you are doing so to help Katherine."

The wooden pew seats squeaked as everyone nodded in affirmation, causing Victor to beam, "Good. Now let's all give a friendly welcome to the newest additions to the Hallowed!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulder begins to learn what his role is, and all its consequences.

_The Hallowed Compound_

_Sherman Oaks, California_

_6:02 P.M. Sunday_

Mulder still felt his heart hammering in his chest in sympathy for Scully and fury at the situation even as he was filing out of the Great Hall with the other men. That had been degrading and redundant, clearly Victor was mad she'd spoken 'out of turn' earlier and he'd wanted to embarrass her. In true Scully fashion, she hadn't let on how furious she was, and he hoped by the time he got back to her that she'd be open with him.

He still wished they didn't have to be separated, especially right after that. She had looked at him once with what he recognized as indignant irritation before succumbing to the rules and looking at the floor, her hand slipping out of his as he had to walk away and leave her.

"This way fellas, let's show him the ropes," Victor boasted, cocking his head to indicate everyone should follow him.

"That was quite the welcome ceremony," Mulder said with an awkward laugh.

A man with long black hair turned to him with a smirk and said, "That was just part one, you still have the night ceremony."

"Night ceremony?" Mulder repeated.

"Everyone goes through the welcome ritual on their first night," another man replied. "It's better than any high."

Mulder felt his brow furrow as he looked around. He wasn't sure if this day was just out of the ordinary, or if the men were always this riled up. All around him as they were walking, men would mess with each other, knocking into one another, punching each other in the arm. It was like watching a bunch of neanderthals communicate before the evolution of speech.

"Better than any high, huh?" Mulder asked, trying to mimic how the others were speaking.

"Yeah, I mean, Victor's the man. I mean, he's like God. The place he can take you to, damn, I'd cut off my own arm to keep going back. Ya know what I mean?" the nameless man jostled.

Mulder didn't know what he meant, but before he had a chance to clarify, Victor spoke from up ahead.

"That's enough, Freddie," he stated lowly. Freddie nodded and started scratching his arm aggressively, moving forward without another word, completely silenced by the older man.

They were walking up a hill, away from the homes and towards what he presumed was the work area. Off in the distance, Mulder saw something that made his blood run cold. Approximately seventy or so bumps in the land, as if something had been buried and the soil was never pushed down to lay flat again. There was grass covering most, but a few were still spotty and there was one that still had fresh soil standing out starkly.

_It was a graveyard._

Feigning ignorance. Mulder pointed it out and asked, "Hey, what's that?"

"Composting," Victor stated automatically.

"All of them?" Mulder asked.

"Yes," he replied shortly.

Mulder didn't know what to say in response and decided to just pretend to accept the ridiculous cover story. The Hallowed had been around since the 80s, but even with that in mind, that was a lot of dead people. The case report had indicated that all deaths in the cult were either months into someone being ritualized over and over or people who betrayed the cult in some way. He didn't feel in danger yet, but it was an ominous, unsettling sight nonetheless.

"Hey, kid killer," someone behind him sneered. He didn't have a chance to look behind him before someone shoved him as hard in the back as they could, resulting in him falling onto his hands and knees.

"Jason, come on. He's new," someone else shouted.

"What? He tripped," the man shrugged while walking passed him carelessly. Mulder had to quickly move his hand to avoid the man's attempt to step directly onto his fingers.

Mulder looked up and saw, arguably, the largest man there walk past him. He was probably at least six foot five, and, unless there was another Jason, this was one of the men Isaac had warned about.

"Sorry about that, he doesn't like people," a nasally voice called from beside him. He turned his head and saw a red headed man with thick glasses looking at him, extending his hand.

Mulder took it and got up to his knees. "Thanks,"

"No problem. My name's Randy, nice to meet you," he exclaimed, offering Mulder his hand again, this time to shake.

"Rob," Mulder replied.

Mulder noticed a few men turned to look at Randy in what appeared to be irritation.

"How long have you been here?" Mulder asked, making small talk.

"About two years now," the shorter man replied.

He wanted to ask how Randy had ended up here, since it seemed to either be a last resort or something people were born into, but he wasn't sure if that was a rude question. Randy seemed to pick up on the curiosity and answered anyway. "In my early twenties I got drunk one night, and when I was walking home, I stepped off to the side to take a leak. A cop saw me and turns out I was peeing on a swing set. Or, in the words of the court, exposing myself at a kid's playground," he admitted.

"That's rough," Mulder replied sympathetically.

Randy shrugged, "A misunderstanding, but now everywhere I would apply to saw me as a sex offender and didn't want me. I don't blame them, but it just sucks ya know? That's how I found this place."

Mulder nodded and resisted the urge to clench his jaw. Even though Randy's circumstances were different, that meant there could easily be people here who were real sex offenders and were let in.

"Can I ask what happened with the bus?" Randy asked.

"I was distracted. I thought I saw something coming out of a field and I didn't notice the curve in the road," Mulder regurgitated.

"How many-"

"Five," Mulder replied instantly, acting forlorn.

"Well," Randy said, clapping him on the back. "You might be able to see them tonight and apologize."

Mulder felt his brow furrow as he turned to the man, but he noticed everyone around them was stopping. Looking up, he saw everyone was gathering around Victor. "Robert, when you look around, what do you see?"

Mulder glanced around, taking in the scenery. "Um, an acreage?"

The men laughed and Mulder resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the group's need to belittle every single thing. "Close," he replied. "It is a vineyard, but it's something more."

"A nice view?" Mulder tried again.

"No, _opportunity,"_ Victor boasted. "There are many jobs here, tending to the animals, mending fences, but picking grapes for wine is an honor, for we are participating vicariously through the celebrations of others when they drink our wine."

Mulder felt his brow furrow in confusion at the impromptu infomercial. Something about it felt so absolutely inauthentic that it was glaring. He felt like he was watching the spiel given to outsiders coming in. _They aren't a cult, they're just kind village people who pick grapes for the greater good._ The whole thing was diametrically opposed to the behavior of the men from moments ago and the weird rituals they seemed to have.

"The Hallowed doesn't allow alcohol, but yet we make it. Isn't that a bit ironic?" he chuckled, stopping when no one joined him.

"It's our mission," Victor reiterated.

"Our duties here at the Hallowed are to worship that which is greater than ourselves and give back to the community, our own and beyond. All men are expected to arrive on the field to receive their daily tasks at approximately seven in the morning. Being we have the luxury of being so close to our homes, at noon you are allowed to go and eat the lunch your wife prepared with the expectation that you will be back by one. Then you will come back and finish work until five. What you do in your spare time is your business, but you need to be back here by eight for the nightly gatherings," he explained.

"Um, okay. Will do," Mulder nodded.

"Excellent," Victor replied with a widening smile. "It's a little early, but we figured we would start the ceremony a little early tonight since we don't have much else going on."

Mulder nodded, walking presumably in the direction of the meeting spot. He scanned the horizon and perked up when he saw a hollowed out tree a few meters away near the fence. That was where Halloran said he would stash the phone and where they would be able to leave evidence for him to collect. He knew he couldn't retrieve it now with all the eyes on him, so he made a mental note of where he'd have to come back to later.

"Your wife can't cook, can she?" another large man, walking side by side with Jason, asked.

Mulder was confused by the question, unsure of where it was going, and replied, "She can. How come?"

"She's fucking hot," the man replied tactlessly. "Usually the hot ones know they don't have to try as hard."

Mulder made no acknowledgement of that because, even though he knew fitting in was important, he wasn't going to laugh along with the misogynistic drivel of some asshole.

However, he couldn't help but react to what another man had to add. "I heard she has a tramp stamp."

He turned and saw a thin, older man with long, stringy hair. Mulder didn't recall seeing him at the initial welcome ceremony, but as far as he was aware no one had seen Scully and him changing except Victor and his wife.

"When were you looking at my wife?" he seethed, stopping in his tracks to look at the man.

The old guy held up his hands in mock-surrender and stated, "What? Doesn't she want people to look? Why else did she get it?"

Mulder felt his jaw clench as his fists tightened at his side.

"Oh is that right? Is your wife a tramp? You always hear redheads are great in the sack," Jason's buddy remarked.

"Careful, I'm gonna get nervous you're making a move on me, Tobe," Randy replied, stepping next to Mulder and trying to defuse the situation - clearly noting Mulder's discomfort.

In a sudden flash, the man named Tobe grabbed Randy by clutching a fistful of his shirt and lifting him off the ground. "Shut your fucking mouth," he seethed before throwing Randy to the ground.

Jason started walking forward as if they were going to do more, but Victor's call of "Enough, gentlemen," stopped them in their tracks, resulting in them just spitting on the ground near Randy and walking away.

Mulder hadn't felt this way since he was in a school locker room, everyone high on new testosterone and pent up anger. Except, it seemed these guys had never grown out of the phase. There appeared to be some exception, but it was like a spectrum of aggression. Some men looked hyped up on something, taking out their aggression on anything near them, whereas others seemed normal but there was something steely and cold in their gaze, like danger was lurking beneath the surface. He wasn't sure which to be more concerned about.

He extended his own hand out to the man to help him up before muttering, "Thanks."

"No problem," he replied. "That's just how they are."

Mulder felt his mouth purse into a straight line. So male violence was not only a common occurrence here, but something accepted as a norm. Toxic masculinity at its worst.

They walked another couple of yards without incident before they were stopped in the middle of the field. "This here, Robert, is where we meet."

Mulder looked around, trying to see what was so special about this section of trees until he saw a wooden board at Victor's feet. The man opened the flap before walking down some steps into what Mulder was assuming to be a wine cellar turned cult activity room.

When it was Mulder's turn to walk down the steps, he was met with the smell of damp soil and the illuminating glow of candle light. The bunker was far larger than Mulder had anticipated. As if it was built to hold hundreds instead of just thirty-ish men.

There was a strange white noise sound happening, but Mulder couldn't find where it was coming from. The men all gathered around, setting up as if it was a tailgate instead of… whatever this was going to end up being. "Nice set up you got here," Mulder remarked with a whistle.

"It was built by the chosen few," Victor boasted, running his hand up and down one of the support beams. "Everyone who is allowed in the Hallowed must come down here and experience the other side on their first night."

"What happens if people don't?" Mulder asked, resulting in all of the ambient chatter to grind to a halt.

Victor just stared at him, unblinking, "That doesn't happen. A person who refuses, well," he paused, looking over at Tobe and Jason who were smiling sadistically. "They are stuck with compost duty," he finished with a self-satisfied smirk.

_Participate or die, got it._

If the case weren't so high-stakes, he was curious if he'd be more of an instigator: asking more questions, prying when he knew he was being too risky. But after hearing Neil's story, he didn't want to do anything that would result in him being killed and Scully being trapped here, especially before he was able to get the phone from Halloran.

He watched as the men set up what appeared to be a punch bowl on a grimy table, mixing a communal cocktail before dishing it out. He watched the process rather than go up himself, but his newfound friend decided to take it upon himself to get Mulder a drink.

"No thank you, I don't imbibe," he replied, putting a hand up in polite refusal.

"It's not alcohol," Randy assured with the shake of his head. "It helps, I promise," he added, shoving the goblet in Mulder's hands.

Mulder was about to refuse again when he saw Randy down the contents with the backwards tilt of his head. Looking around at the rest of the men, he saw an even mix of people following through and people watching him with judgemental curiosity. Neil had made it seem like the harm came from an extended period of time, they never killed anyone right off the bat. He didn't want to drink whatever this was, but it seemed he had no choice.

"Cheers," he joked, lifting the goblet in a mock toast towards the other men before downing the glass.

It was tasteless, but the sensation of syrup coating his throat made him cough in revulsion, making a few of the men chuckle. "Very good, Rob," Victor beamed, seemingly satisfied he didn't put up a fight.

Mulder turned his head as he heard the men in the room begin to make sounds, as if one person would hum closely followed by another. They were continuing to culminate, one voice growing off the other until it sounded like a beehive of humming. As odd as it was, it was slightly comforting.

Turning his head to the side, he saw a lot of the men were doing mundane activities, sitting in chairs along the perimeter of the room, reclining against the wall, squabbling with each other, it was all a lot less creepy than he'd anticipated.

He felt calm, but like he still had his senses about him. From the looks on the faces of the people around him, that seemed to be the consensus, whatever this drink was only just made them wind down a bit. He just wasn't sure what for.

Mulder looked over at Randy and watched as the cup tumbled from his hands, only, instead of falling immediately to the floor, it seemed to slip one inch at a time, the liquid almost pouring out in slow motion. Mulder blinked rapidly, trying to correct his vision, and it was as if doing that sped up time again.

_What the was that?_

"Do you want to play?" Victor asked from next to Mulder. _How did he get there so fast_? Mulder was about to ask what he meant when he saw Victor was holding out a board game to him.

_Stratego._

_How did he know?_ Mulder felt his brows furrow in confusion. There was no way anyone could have known about that. He looked up to ask Victor why he was offering this to him when he was shocked to see Victor wasn't there. No one was. The room had gone completely dark, yet… he could see.

He could perfectly see Samantha holding out Stratego, her curly brown hair pulled back with two little bows - something she'd painstakingly had him do for her after their parents had left.

"Sam," he whispered, not trusting his own eyes. His voice sounded garbled, like he was speaking underwater, yet he felt no constraint.

"I've missed you, Fox," she replied with a melancholy smile. The game was suddenly gone and he shuddered as her freezing hand slid into his.

"I-I've missed _you_ ," he responded shyly, his voice trembling slightly. He wasn't sure what was going on. No one in the Hallowed knew his past to be able to replicate this. _Was he still in his body, or was this a dream?_

No. It was too real to be a dream. Too visceral. He could see the wetness of Sam's eyes as she stared at him, he could smell the Prell shampoo from her bath earlier that night, and he could feel his own heart racing in his chest.

"Where are we?" he asked, his pitch heightening. It felt weird, slightly unnatural. He'd never spoken to Samantha like that in his entire life, but now she was standing in front of him, not even five feet tall, her hand dwarfed in his own, and he felt his brotherly protectiveness surge into the protectiveness of an adult over a child.

"I feel like I've always been here," she shrugged, lifting his hand up and playing with it. She pressed her palm against his and giggled. "You're a giant," she smiled and he couldn't help but smile back, a lump forming in his throat and threatening to choke him.

"You're tiny," he replied, his voice coming out strangled. She narrowed her eyes at him and stuck out her tongue and he felt a sense of nostalgia so overwhelming that he couldn't resist the urge - he fell to his knees and drew her into a hug. "I've been looking for you," he murmured into her hair, placing a kiss onto her shoulder and noting how cold her whole body was.

"I know," she replied sweetly, petting his head.

He pulled away, keeping his hands on her arms, and took a good look at her. She was pale, paler than he'd ever seen her, yet she looked the same. "What do you mean?" he asked, lifting a hand to brush her hair behind her ear so he could look at her better before returning it to her arm. He was too afraid to let go.

"I saw you, Fox. You're so close," she replied. "I can see lots from up here."

He shook his head slightly and stammered, "Sam, y-you're not making sense. I don't understand."

"Dad said you're going to stress yourself to death," she replied, pinching his nose like she used to do when she wanted to rile him up.

"Dad's here too?" He asked, glancing around only to see darkness.

She nodded in that exaggerated way kids did. "Mhm."

"Are you-" he began, only to be interrupted by her spontaneously emitting a blood-curdling scream that pierced his senses like a dagger.

He started and blinked, only for everything to change. He was back in the basement, only this time he was face down on the floor with his shirt tangled under his arms. He realized in that moment that it was he who was screaming as he felt a hot burning searing the flesh of his lower back.

He scrambled onto his feet, falling to the ground on his first attempt. Turning around, he was met with the sight of Victor holding a branding iron as the other men stood in a circle.

"Welcome, Robert, to the Hallowed," he bellowed, lifting his arms up in a grandiose gesture.

"I wasn't done," Mulder rasped, his throat feeling as raw as if he'd been screaming for hours.

"That's all for tonight, Robert," Victor replied.

Mulder lunged forward and invaded the man's space, uncaring of the men bristling at the action. "How did you know about her?" He seethed.

Victor bared his teeth with a crocodile grin and shrugged. "I know nothing about what you see when you visit the other side."

"Did you drug me?" he barked. "Was that a hallucination?"

The men around him laughed and it only fueled his aggravation. "That was no hallucination, Robert. That was the real thing."

"The real _what_?" Mulder rasped, his breathing labored as sweat beaded at his brow. The searing pain in his back was becoming hard to ignore.

"Like he said man, _the other side_ ," a nameless crony repeated, as if talking to an insolent child.

"I-I wasn't done," Mulder stated again, swaying on his feet. "I need- I need to talk to her."

"All in due time, Robert," Victor stated with a predatory gleam in his eye. "Men, take him back to his little wifey."

Mulder felt his eyes roll to the back of his head slightly with the sudden movement of two men wrapping their arms around either side of him, his arms dangling lifelessly around their necks as his feet dragged against the ground.

"L-lemme see 'er," he slurred, his head lolling onto his shoulder.

"That was easier than expected," he heard someone boast before everything went black.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scully tries to learn what's expected of the women before helping Mulder when he comes back from the gathering.

_The Hallowed Compound_

_Sherman Oaks, California_

_6:02 P.M. Sunday_

As the men left the gathering hall, Scully felt the tension evaporate from the room. The women weren't spontaneously welcoming, their lips were still pursed shut as they glanced at her like she was an animal in the zoo, exotic and frightening, but the looming threat of violence had gone away and she could see the women were all starting to stand a little taller.

"Hi, I should properly intro-" she began, only to be silenced by a sharp shushing from one of the older women.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw a few men were in the process of shutting the door. Apparently even that was too close. Deciding it would likely be better to follow their lead than speak out of turn again, she turned to face them, waiting for someone else to break the silence.

The sound of the door latch clicking into place had the same effect as an audible sigh amongst the women. The same one who shushed her turned and stated, "I'm sorry, but we are not allowed to speak outside of the house unless given permission - even so, never in the presence of the men."

"Not even to our husbands?" Scully asked, wanting to laugh at the ridiculousness of the notion. It explained why the boy who drove them to the compound seemed so perturbed by her talking.

The women shared glances, as if they were repressing an urge to laugh at her. "No," a woman with short blonde hair answered curtly.

Scully swallowed the pleasant smirk that had been on her face in favor of pursing her lips. It looked like the female camaraderie she'd been hoping for wasn't going to come as easily as she'd hoped.

"Our duties as women here are to tend to the children, make sure our husbands are provided three meals a day, and keep a tidy living space," the older woman repeated. "We are to get up at six so we can make our husbands breakfast, and you are expected to be in the washing area by eight with any dirty clothes that have accumulated."

"W-where is the washing area?" Scully stammered, unsure if she'd be able to get a word in.

"Follow us," she stated, leading the women and children out of the Gathering Hall, though, not before peeking her head out to make sure the men were gone.

The older woman and Sally led the pack, and the rest followed in a haphazard manner. Scully was trying to familiarize herself with faces when she felt a hand grab her leg. Looking down, she saw a small toddler stumbling to try and keep up with her. She smiled before bending down and hoisting the toddler on her hip, wanting to appear that she was ready to take on the task of tending to the children immediately. And, admittedly, she was unable to resist.

"Hi," she said in a high pitched tone, brushing the long brown bangs from the child's face which was framed by two long braids. "What's your name?" she asked.

"Annabewll," the girl replied, grabbing a fistful of Scully's hair and tugging it behind her ear, replicating what Scully'd just done to her but with the clumsiness of a child.

"That's a beautiful name," Scully replied, deciphering it as _Annabelle._

"Thank you," the child's mother murmured from beside her.

Scully turned and saw a demure looking woman with blonde hair twisted into a plait running down her spine. "Nice to meet you," Scully said, letting the girl grab onto her finger but trying to keep her from putting it in her mouth. "My name's Katherine."

"I'm Lorraine," the girl replied with a smile. "Wife of Ed."

"Oh," Scully replied before awkwardly adding. "I'm, er- Wife of Robert."

"Katherine's such a pretty name," a teenager said from in front of them, turning on her heel so she could walk backwards and face them while talking. "Hi, I'm Laurie, -"

"Laurie, turn back around before you twist your ankle," someone snapped. The girl looked Scully in the eye and widened them in mockery before doing what she was told.

"Nice to meet you," Scully said to the girl, feeling bad that she was snapped at.

She was distracted as the girl in her arms grabbed her nose with her whole hand and declared, "Nose!"

"Yes, it is," Scully chuckled, her voice sounding nasally, making the girl squeal with joy.

"Annabelle, be nice," Lorraine said, taking her from Scully and putting the child on her own hip.

"She's fine," Scully laughed.

"That's the washing area, Katherine," Sally remarked from up front. "We like to wash our clothes from yesterday every morning so there's never any filth in the home," she added.

Scully internally figured the truth was that there was only so much for them to do, and it possibly was one of the times they could socialize while the men were all at work. "Do I need to bring soap?" she asked.

"No, that's Sally's job. You won't need to worry about that. Have you ever used a washboard and clothesline before?" the older woman asked.

"I'm afraid I haven't," Scully answered.

"You'll get used to it," she replied curtly.

"Thank you," Scully nodded before adding. "I'm afraid I didn't catch your name."

"Vicky, Wife of Burt."

All of the 'wife of' talk reminded her of that Margaret Atwood book. Would she be Ofrobert? The name Ofmulder crossed her mind and it made her want to smile, but Vicky clapped her hands together, drawing everyone's attention to her. "Okay ladies, what advice do you all have for Katherine?"

There was an awkward pause as everyone stared at her. Scully smiled uncomfortably, hoping to dissolve the tension, but only the girl Laurie smiled back. "I have one," a mousy woman with black hair said, stepping forward. "Um, try to learn how to use the wash board with both hands, so one side doesn't cramp up," she stated shyly with a proud smile.

"Oh," Scully replied. "Thank y-"

"She meant about assimilating to the group," someone sighed in exasperation at the woman, whose smile faltered on her face as she took a step back.

"My advice would be to expect a change, even the most calm men become exuberant and driven after being here for a while," a blonde woman replied.

"Robert's always been pretty exuberant," Scully replied kindly.

"Expect a change," she reiterated.

Scully simply swallowed and nodded, looking around for further instructions.

"Sometimes the men are riled up after getting back at night. It's best to just go along with them," the shortest woman said.

"Make sure you have breakfast ready before he leaves," another added. Scully opened her mouth to reply, but they were starting to give her tips faster than she could respond to.

"Sometimes, when things are hard, I like to sing my favorite song in my head, focusing on if I can get all the lyrics right," Sally admitted softly.

Scully felt her heartbeat starting to pick up as she heard the undertones of what these women were saying. "Do they-," she started, getting interrupted by a woman with dark black hair and icy blue eyes.

"Don't fuck up," she stated in a lifeless voice.

"Rosemary!" Vicky snapped, turning to the woman angrily.

She was being reprimanded for swearing, but Scully just met her unwavering gaze. This was Neil's wife. She was exactly as he'd described her, only she was pale and gaunt, blotches of color marring her pale skin.

_And alive._

"Rosemary," Scully beamed, playing ignorant. "That's a lovely name. Who's your husband?"

A deathly silence fell over the women as they all looked at the ground, as if an unspoken secret had been dredged up and they were all uncomfortable. Rosemary looked at her and replied, "Wife of Jason."

So it was as Neil had described. They get passed around. The men are disposable, but the women are a commodity. "Well, we don't want to overwhelm the poor girl," Sally replied, a nervous chuckle in her tone. "Why don't all of you return home. Lorraine, do you think you could show Katherine around her and Robert's property?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Lorraine replied with a small nod.

The rest of the group disbanded until it was just the two of them and Annabelle. The compound was laid out like a stereotypical suburban complex, there were rows upon rows of houses, she couldn't tell how many, but it seemed they were in a square formation, like blocks. Each home was about twenty feet apart, giving space but not too much. Deeper in the compound, there was the Great Hall, and then ultimately going up the hill seemed to be where the men did their work.

Scully was taken away from her visual inventory by the woman next to her. "That must've been a lot to process," Lorraine chuckled, setting Annabelle down so she could hold her hand.

Annabelle extended her other hand to Scully who took it with a smile as they walked down the dirt road, sometimes swinging the girl in between them when she playfully let her feet give out. "Um, it was. I can't lie," Scully admitted with a laugh."How long have you and Ed been here?" she asked.

"About ten years now," Lorraine admitted with a nod.

"Ten years?"

"Yeah," Lorraine nodded. "Ed wracked up some pretty bad gambling debt, but the Hallowed gave him a place to stay where debt collectors couldn't find him."

Scully made a mental note to write that down in her journal for her field report. _The Hallowed covers up crime in quid pro quo for manual labor._ "Do you like it here?"

"Well enough," the woman shrugged. "You and I are lucky, we were married entering in. I think it's much harder for the girls in arrangements."

"How so?" Scully asked, playing dumb.

"We already had a trust with our husbands, we know what they've done and still love them," she replied, pausing before admitting: "Some of the other girls aren't so lucky and they end up with men who aren't very kind. There are a lot of those here."

Scully nodded. She had most certainly picked up on that little tidbit. "Did you experience a change with your husband like they were mentioning?" she asked.

Lorraine looked at her as if to communicate she thought that was ridiculous and shook her head. "No, I think it's just that the men here are so… primal, I suppose you could say. If a man has always wanted to act like a brute, it comes out here, but if your husband is civilized and respects women, no. He shouldn't change," she replied. "I understand I'm lucky when I say that though. Ed is kind and gentle. You probably won't see him much. He's in charge of communicating with potential recruits because he is so sweet. People find him easy to talk to," she continued.

Annabelle started making nonsensical noises as if to mimic talking and the women looked at each other and laughed. "So, you have a computer here?" Scully asked.

"Only one. There are no phones or really good internet connection here. He can only communicate with people through the site. I was actually eager to meet you, he said he enjoyed talking to Robert and his heart really went out to him," Lorraine explained, motioning towards a house marked _1408._

"Oh really?" Scully replied, letting go of Annabelle as they walked up the porch steps.

"Yeah, he said Robert was really into the Baltimore Orioles," she replied. "Ed loves all sports, but there aren't a lot of baseball fans around here for him to nerd out with and that's his favorite."

Scully felt herself smile at the fact she was going to have to tell Mulder he was going to have to root for A.D. Skinner's team, undoubtedly an influence coming directly from his involvement in the online chat operation. "Mine too," Scully sharing a smile with the woman as she remembered an early birthday present given to her at the batting cages.

"Well," she sighed. "This is your home from here on out. I know I'm supposed to give you a tour, but I'm afraid it's not too exciting. It's furnished, stocked full of food. It gets restocked every Sunday, so you should be all set to go. Vicky said she put your bags upstairs earlier. Is there anything you think you need?" she asked.

"I think I'd like to explore myself, but thank you so much for your kindness," Scully replied.

"Absolutely. If you need anything, please let me know. I live four houses down that way. I know it might not seem like I'm popular with most of the group, but they get jealous when they see happy marriages," she whispered.

Scully nodded, storing that information for later before thanking her again, waving at Annabelle as they walked away.

Closing the door, Scully turned around and let her back fall against the cool wood, letting out a long, exasperated sigh. She took a glance around the kitchen, and it looked to be a standard, common mid-70s home. It was quaint and sweet, the yellow wallpaper fading with age and breaking apart in certain sections, but fine nonetheless.

She walked around a bit and found the kitchen, which also acted like a dining room, led straight into the living room. There was no TV, surely something Mulder would be disappointed with, but there were plenty of furnishings and a table adorned with some family-friendly board games and various editions of the Bible. The living room also had a stairway which led up to a wrap around landing opening to three different rooms. One was their bedroom, another the bathroom, and the last was an empty room, likely for any potential children.

She walked into their bedroom and looked around. There was one window, looking out into a vineyard, but no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't see anyone. Blaming it on the darkness, she turned around and surveyed the room.

The first thing that stood out to her was the bed. Singular bed. She'd expected it, but being faced with the reality that she'd be sharing the night on a queen bed with Mulder made butterflies flutter in her stomach. Deciding she didn't want to focus on that right now, she turned to other things in the room.

She found their closet was stocked with row upon row of the same outfits, apparently their uniform. She glanced in the nearby dresser and saw there were several slips, presumably her pyjamas. She slid her dress over her head, setting it in a nearby hamper before taking out one of the garments and holding it up. It was a simple silky dress, a little shorter than the day dress, but it had spaghetti straps and two triangles to cover her chest before the fabric just hung. She slid it over her head before padding to the bathroom and flicking on the light to take a look. It was a bit revealing, but flattering nonetheless - something that both made her nervous and excited for Mulder to see her in.

Speaking of, she wasn't quite sure when he'd be coming back, so she decided to grab her journal and wait downstairs, writing down everything she'd learned and experienced that day so they could relay it once they got ahold of the phone.

Scully lost track of time while doing that, but she started to feel nervous when she realized she'd written twenty pages and still hadn't heard Mulder return. Trying to stifle her worry, she decided to try to map out the name of every person they'd come in contact with and what she'd learned about them so far. A cult-y family tree of sorts.

She was just finishing up with the women of the Hallowed when she heard the distinct sound of shuffling coming from outside. Standing up and opening the main door while flipping on the porch light, she was met with the sight of two brooding men all but dragging a sweaty, limp Mulder up the porch steps.

"What happened to him?" she asked, throwing the screen door open and cupping her hands around Mulder's face. His eyes were glassy and his skin felt clammy, but he looked like he was gaining his bearings. "What. Happened. To. Him?" she restated, looking between the two men.

Both were staring at her, raking their eyes over her nightdress, but she was too worried about Mulder to care. Saying nothing, they just continued leering at her before letting go of Mulder so that she had to stumble to avoid being crushed by the onslaught of his weight leaning against her.

"He looks hurt," she barked as the two men descended the porch steps.

She was met with more silence as the two men just walked off into the darkness of the night. Deeming her not worthy of speaking to.

"Mulder, it's me," she greeted in a shaky voice quiet enough not to be heard by eavesdroppers, brushing his hair back in an attempt to get him to look at her, though it only resulted in his head lolling backwards. "Can you hear me?"

"Hi, Scully," he groaned, stumbling as he tried to gain his footing.

"We need to get inside," she whispered, trying to look around and see if anyone was nearby.

With great effort, she was able to drag him backwards into the house with her, taking a moment to lock the door behind them. "Mulder, what happened?" she asked as she sat him down on the kitchen chair she'd just vacated.

"I saw her, Scully," he replied, looking at her with more focus than before.

"What?" she asked, not understanding but wanting to desperately.

Mulder leaned his elbow on the table and looked up at her intently, "I saw Samantha."

Her brow furrowed as her concern grew. "What do you mean?"

"I was down in some basement they use for their meeting place and I just saw her. It's like I was transported somewhere else. The other side, what Neil mentioned, he was telling the truth," he answered, utterly convinced in what he was saying.

"What did they give you?" she asked. She knew many cults used drugs as a means of coercion, they probably gave him something and he was hallucinating.

"It's not like that, Scully. It was real, I could smell her, I felt her," he lamented.

Scully wanted to believe him, but he wasn't making any sense. "You look awful, Mulder," she stated, switching topics. "Are you hurt?"

It was as if her question sparked something inside of him because he sat up with a confused look on his face and reached around to his back before wincing. "Let me see," she murmured, making him twist in his seat as she crouched down. She gasped when she saw the shirt covering the base of his spine was stained red.

She swatted his hand away and pulled his shirt up carefully. Right there on his lower back was an angry, red, circular scorch mark. "They branded you?" she yelled, furious that they hadn't been warned earlier about this possibly happening.

"I think so, I'm not sure," he replied.

Being as careful as she could, she pulled the hem of the shirt up his torso and helped him ease his arms and head out of it before letting it fall to the floor. She inspected the rest of his body for wounds as she asked, "What do you mean you're not sure?"

He was malleable to her touch, lifting his arms and moving however she directed him to. "It's what I just said, Scully, I was somewhere else and I was pulled out from the pain on my back."

"Did you feel groggy when you woke up?" she asked, trying to figure out if it was maybe rohypnol or something like that.

"Scully," he repeated, grabbing one of her wrists lightly so she would stop her movements and look at him, which she did begrudgingly. She couldn't remember the last time he'd looked at her so imploringly, pouring his entire heart out through his eyes. "I wasn't asleep, I was fully awake. You have to believe me. I only drank something that everyone else drank, no one else experienced what I did so it wasn't that and I didn't ingest anything else."

"What did it taste like?" she asked, gazing into his eyes to check for abnormal dilation. "Was it bitter?"

He made a groaning sound and let his head fall backwards in frustration before looking at her again. "It was real, they couldn't have known anything about Samantha."

"No, but _you_ do and that's what matters," she repeated. "Follow me, I need to clean your back so it doesn't get infected."

She watched as he sat up, more steady on his feet than he had been earlier, but she still wrapped his arm around her neck as they walked up the stairs.

"She used to do this thing when I teased her. She'd scrunch up her eyes and stick out her tongue at me," he explained, sounding like he was holding back emotion. "I didn't even remember it but she- I saw her-," he added, coughing to clear his throat when he couldn't finish the sentence.

Regardless of what truly happened in that basement, it was affecting Mulder on a profound level. She didn't want to fight about it anymore because it was still too fresh and she didn't want to offend him. "And no one else saw anything? Their loved ones?" She asked.

She flipped on the bathroom light switch and shut the toilet lid, indicating for him to sit down. He brushed past her and sat on the lid in reverse, his legs on either side as he faced the wall, leaning forward so she had better access to his back. They'd brought the first aid kit hoping that they wouldn't need it, but here she was having to use it on the first night.

"I-I don't think so," he replied as she kneeled behind him. "I think it's like Neil said, they let me see so I'd be hooked in."

She let out a little huff of humorless laughter through her nose as she got out the Bactine. His back twisted as he turned to look at her over his shoulder, his mouth curved downward in a pout. "Scully, I'm still as skeptical as you are about what's going on, but you have to believe me. I know what I saw. It was real."

"I believe you, Mulder, but I'm scared," she admitted.

She sprayed the disinfectant on his back and he didn't even wince, the possibility of her not trusting his judgement apparently more painful than this. He turned back around as she continued cleaning the wound, wetting all the caked on blood so she could wipe it away. "I'm sorry about what happened earlier," he stated softly.

"You don't need to apologize, Mulder. It was just a weak man trying to pull a power move," she stated, leaning over to throw the crimson toilet paper into the wastebasket.

He paused, absorbing what she said before switching topics. "What does it look like?"

"It's a circle, about two inches in diameter," she repeated clinically like she was reciting an autopsy. The thought made her throat clench slightly. They'd taken advantage of him, they easily could have killed him if they'd wanted to.

"Well that's one plus I guess," he replied.

"I'm not following. How is being branded possibly a plus?" she deadpanned.

"I've always wanted matching best friend tattoos," he replied with a smile, looking over his shoulder again.

She didn't say anything, just continued applying a bandage over the salve covered wound. A snake eternally eating its own head and a brand mark from getting involved in something way over their heads. What a perfect pair. She let her hands fall into her lap before standing up.

Mulder stood up with her and followed her to the sink where she began washing her hands. "I'm sorry," he replied, sounding like he thought it was the joke that bothered her.

"What if they kill you?" she whispered, barely audible over the tap water.

"I know what to expect now. If I can just try to keep my bearings-" he started, only for her to cut him off.

"But that's just it, you're okay with doing it again. Going to this place or wherever to see your sister. You're putting yourself at risk."

"I-I have to, Scully. She might tell me the truth about what happened. Where she is," he stammered, looking at her through the reflection of the mirror.

She moved to grab her toothbrush and reminded him, "Didn't Neil say he saw a woman he killed, Mulder? If I were you I'd ask some of the other men who they see when they visit the 'other side.' You may already have your answer."

She glanced up to look at him in the mirror and saw he was looking at the ground now, a look of hurt on his face. Setting her toothbrush back down she turned so her back was leaning against the counter so she could face him. "I'm sorry, Mulder. I didn't mean to be insensitive, I'm just upset you were hurt."

"No, no," he replied, shaking his head. "You're right, I'm letting them get to me."

She took a step closer to him, looking up so he was forced to meet her gaze. "I think it's honorable how much you want to get justice for her. I just hate it when that's used against you. I've seen it before and it bothers me," she assured softly.

He nodded before taking a step forward and wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in for a hug she was apt to reciprocate. She let her hands fall onto his upper back, mindful of his wound, as she rested her head against his chest.

"We're going to be okay," he said as if trying to manifest it to be true instead of reassuring her that it was.

She didn't know how to reply so she just nodded against him, his chest hair tickling her cheek. They stood like that for a moment, his hand running up and down her back comfortingly.

"I always forget how short you are without your heels on," he murmured with an audible smirk.

She chuffed a laugh and returned to the sink. "I'm going to get ready for bed, okay?" she replied.

He took the hint and left her alone in the bathroom. As soon as the door was shut, she let out a long sigh and let her head fall into her hands. _This wasn't good. The last thing they needed was for Mulder to be strung along by false hope._

She pushed her thoughts aside and got ready for bed: brushing her teeth, her hair, and washing her face. She walked out of the bathroom only to quickly turn back around. "Sorry," she apologized to the naked Mulder standing in the bedroom. She'd only seen his backside, but she got an eyeful.

"We're married, _Katherine_ ," he teased. She said nothing and jumped when she felt him touch her elbow. "Mind if I take a turn in there?" he asked.

Turning around, and taking a glimpse down, she saw the attire for men here was apparently just their boxers. "Mhm," she replied, brushing past him.

She heard the sound of the faucet turning on and looked at the bed. She knew this had been inevitable going into the case, but she still felt tense about it. Not that Mulder made her feel uncomfortable -quite the opposite - she was tense because of how much the thought of sharing a bed with him excited her.

On their last undercover case, things were tense between them for an entirely different reason. He'd been still too trusting of Diana, and she'd been building a barrier around herself in preservation of feelings she hadn't yet been ready to admit. But now, Diana was gone and that barrier had withered away.

And they'd kissed.

New Years tradition be damned, there was nothing platonic about that kiss and they both knew it… but that didn't mean they were ready to face it.

She walked over towards the side of the bed farthest from the door and slid under the covers. She was in the process of fluffing up her pillow when the bathroom door opened and Mulder walked back in. "I'm beat," he yawned. "Can you toss me a pillow?"

She looked at him, realizing he presumed she was going to banish him to the couch. "Um, you can stay here, Mulder," she replied, her soft tone sounding thunderous in the stillness of the room.

"Are you sure?" he asked, pleasant surprise poorly contained in his tone.

"Yeah," she nodded. Upon his smile, she added, "Besides, it would look bad if anyone happened to look through the windows to see the man of the house sleeping on the couch."

"Mhm," he agreed with a smirk, all too familiar with their steps forward in their relationship being coded as something else. "Nosy bunch, I wouldn't put it past them."

He slid into bed next to her, mindful of his injury, and laid on his side facing her. She had been on her back, but decided to mirror him, laying on her side so she could look at him. He smirked at her and she couldn't help but smile in return, acknowledging the intimacy of their positions but not wanting to remark on it for fear of breaking the tranquility of their bubble.

He reached one hand out a little bit, letting it lay limply in between them and she took the hint, laying one of her hands on top of his as his fingers started stroking hers. "How did today go for you after we split up?" he asked.

She shrugged with one shoulder, engaging him in his idle thumb war. "Awkward, but okay. I don't think they're comfortable with me. At least, not yet."

His thumb struggled under hers as she pinned it to their joined hands. He smiled and tried wiggling out from under her, but she had him. With a smirk, she released him and they restarted. "Do you remember what Halloran and Neil said about the rendezvous spot?" she asked.

"At the edge of the property, near where the men work, a dead tree with a hollowed trunk," he regurgitated. "I found it earlier today, but I didn't have a chance to go over to it since the attention was all on me, but I should be able to tomorrow."

She turned her face away from him and into the mattress to hide her yawn. "I second that," he laughed, yawning in sympathy.

"We need to tell Halloran about wha' happened to you," she mumbled, her hand falling limply against his.

He brought their joined hands to his mouth and kissed the back of her hand before returning them to the middle of the bed. "Thank you for taking care of me," he whispered, his eyelids closing.

"Of course," she whispered, her own eyelids growing heavy as she fell asleep to the sound of him breathing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulder and Scully are struggling to fit in more than they were expecting.

_The Thorn Residence_

_Sherman Oaks, California_

_6:36 A.M. Monday_

It took him a moment to orient himself and remember where he was. If it weren't for the unfamiliarity of the bed or the lack of the ambient sounds of his neighbors telling him something was off, Mulder would have known instantly from the fact that someone was holding his hand.

As he gained his bearings, the memories of last night came flooding back. He remembered falling asleep holding hands, but somehow, during their sleep, Scully had pulled his arm to her and was hugging his forearm against her chest protectively - his hand coming to rest underneath her jaw. The thought hadn't occurred to him until now, but he remembered vividly that whenever it was getting late when they would watch a movie at his place, she'd usually grab a pillow or blanket of some sort and hug it while slowly reclining until she was nearly asleep. He hadn't thought much of it then, but now he saw the true implications of it: Scully was a cuddler in her sleep.

The thought made him smile as he felt her chest move against his arm with her steady inhalations and exhalations. He'd seen her sleep so many times over the years that he'd lost count, but never in a bed with this proximity. Never from the perspective of a man waking up in bed next to the woman he loves.

He swore she'd never looked as beautiful as she did to him in this moment. Her hair was fanned out across the white sheet like licks of fire, her lips were gently parted in her sleep, and she had a look of serenity that he so rarely got to see on her face. Her arms were crossed like she was assuming a safety position, creating an 'X' across her chest as her fingers delicately wrapped around his arm.

He leaned up to the best of his ability to look at the alarm clock and saw he only had about twenty minutes before he was expected out on the field. Mulder felt every cell in his body screaming that he'd sooner die than leave this bed, but he knew it would look bad if he wasn't there on the first day. As much as he could, he tried to slide his arm out of her grasp, attempting miserably to ignore the fact he was brushing against the swell of her breasts.

She let out a sigh of discontent and he watched her brow furrow as her fingers spread out, as if looking for his hand. He nearly pouted at how cute the action was before her eyes slanted open. "No," she mumbled, not fully awake.

He chuckled lightly, not wanting to fully wake her up if she wanted to sleep some more. "Go back to bed," he whispered, easing himself up so he could lean over and press a small kiss to her temple.

She moved towards his touch before rolling onto her back, arching upwards like a cat and creating an elegant curve in her spine. She made a little sleepy stretching sound as she did this before falling flat onto her back and trying to blink away the sleep. "What time is it?" she murmured.

"6:40. I have to be in the field at 7:00," he answered. "What time do you have to be up?" he asked.

"Laundry duty is at 8:00, but I was told that I need to wake up earlier than my husband to tend to his needs and make him breakfast," she laughed, wiping her eyes as she sat up, her hair sticking out every which way.

"Too bad we only have time for breakfast this morning," he teased, slipping out of bed and flipping on the bathroom light.

He could have sworn she murmured "Too bad," but he'd turned on the faucet so her voice was drowned out. She appeared by his side a moment later and croaked, "I'm just going to brush my teeth, then it's all yours."

"No problem," he mumbled around his own toothbrush.

They stood in front of the mirror, both just mindlessly doing their morning routine, but it was an image that made him smile. The perimeter of the mirror framed the scene like a picture and he wished he could put it in his pocket: A visage of domesticity featuring Mulder and Scully. The thought made him happier than it probably should have.

She finished up and he listened as her feet padded down the hardwood of the hallway and the stairs. He wanted to be able to talk to her a little before leaving, but he was short on time. Mulder was midway through rushing through his morning routine when the sound of a knock at the door broke the silence.

He listened as Scully opened the kitchen door and he could hear the distant sounds of their conversation as he tried to scramble to get dressed.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Katherine- it's Katherine, right? I was just hoping that Robert was here? I was going to ask him if he wanted to walk to work with me," he heard from down below. If memory served him correctly, that was Randy's voice and he felt his worry dissipate dramatically.

"Yes, Katherine. It's nice to meet you. I can get him for you…?" she trailed off.

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's Randy, Randy Meeks. I'm not sure if you've met Laurie, but she's my wife," he replied.

"I have," she replied, her tone shifting to something Mulder didn't recognize. "She's a lovely girl."

There was a pause before he heard the sounds of the wood at the base of the stairs creaking and her voice calling up, "Rob! Your friend, Randy, is here for you!"

He quickly hopped out of the bathroom, sliding his jeans up his legs, working his zipper as he bounded down the stairs. "Coming!" he replied, nearly crashing into Scully on the way down.

"Woah there," she laughed, bracing herself on his arms.

"Sorry," he replied, placing his hand on the small of her back as they returned to the kitchen.

Randy was standing awkwardly in front of the screen door, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he played with the rim of his baseball cap, _Arizona Cardinals_ reflecting in worn letters. Apparently one of the few things Randy must've brought from the outside world. "Your breakfast is on the counter, sorry it's late," Scully replied in a performatively wifey tone.

"Thanks honey, I'll be back for lunch," he said, grabbing the apple Scully had so thoroughly prepared for him.

As he moved towards the door, he caught Randy look from him back to Scully and he realized he was forgetting something. "Oops," he said turning on his heel, making a beeline towards her.

"Almost forgot," he murmured before cupping her face. They still hadn't kissed here yet and it was something they hadn't spoken of since it sounded like all intimacy was to be kept away from the public eye - but now they had to and he wasn't sure what she was comfortable with. He liked Randy, but he still wasn't sure how much he could trust him and figured he needed to keep up appearances.

He cupped her mouth so the 'kiss' would be shielded from Randy's view, and he placed his mouth next to hers, moving to just kiss the corner of her mouth for performance sake. Scully however, also was apparently unsure of what the plan was, so she turned her head and met his lips, only to immediately retract them when she realized he'd been trying to be chivalrous.

She let out a rare Scully laugh at their own haplessness and he couldn't help but join her, only to be silenced by her leaning up on her toes and kissing the side of his mouth, as best she could reach without shoes on. He beamed down at her and she met his gaze, a slight redness in her cheeks.

They were really no better than awkward teenagers.

Though, turning back to Randy, he was the most uncomfortable of all, having completely turned his back on the scene as to give them privacy. In other words, that little show had all been for naught. Scully noticed this too and started giggling again, only to be reciprocally stopped by him leaning down and pressing a firm kiss to her lips, a proper kiss.

He loved the way the fullness of her lips complimented his own, but he had to stop himself from trying to deepen it. He was glad because it meant as he pulled back, he got to see the bliss on Scully's face as her eyelids fluttered open, giving him that same shy smile she had at the new year. "I'll see you in a few hours," he murmured lowly.

"See ya," she replied sweetly as he walked towards the door.

"Sorry about that, Randy," he apologized, clapping the man on the back and slipping on his shoes.

"No, no, _I'm_ sorry for intruding," Randy stammered, opening the door.

Mulder took one last look back at Scully to share a look at the man's bumbling tendencies, but instead he caught her looking at the place he just stood while pressing her fingertips to her lips, touching her smile - he felt his heart threaten to burst from his chest. He turned back around, not wanting to interrupt the moment she was having and bounded down the porch steps with Randy.

"I'm sorry I saw your wife while she wasn't fully dressed, I wasn't even thinking," Randy apologized, holding his own breakfast bag with both hands.

"It's okay, Randy. I didn't take any offence," he replied before taking a bite of the apple.

"It's nice, seeing people truly in love around here," the man remarked softly.

Mulder looked over at him and saw he was staring off in the distance, looking a million miles away. "How about you? How did you and your wife meet?"

Randy turned towards him and shrugged, "Arranged after a year of me being here. I'd never even spoken to her before we were set to be wed."

"Are you happy though?" Mulder asked.

There was a pause before Randy murmured, "Our wedding took place on her sixteenth birthday. She's a child."

Mulder felt his blood run cold as he made a note of this for their report. "Have you-," he began only to be cut off.

"Of course not," Randy assured. "We get along well enough, but our relationship is more of a protective older brother to a kid sister than a married couple. I told her that first night in our home that I was never going to lay a hand on her, we just have to pretend in public if anyone asks, but it's obvious to everyone that we're different and we get treated as such."

Then, suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and turned to Mulder with a deer in headlights look on his face. "Please don't tell anyone. Actively choosing not to procreate is a punishable offense here. I just- You seem so-" he rambled, stopping when Mulder held a hand up.

"I won't tell anyone," he assured, making the other man sign in relief. "Are child brides normal here?"

Shaking his head, Randy explained, "No, I was the first. I think it's because I'm on the sex offender registry for a technicality. Victor tends to hold onto things, like how he outed your story to the community. It's as if he listens to all the stories you have in your soul, and he picks out which one he thinks is best and formulates his whole opinion of you around it. I've won chess tournaments around all of Kentucky, I collect stamps, I used to call my mother every Saturday, but none of that matters anymore because those aspects of my personality weren't interesting enough. To him I'm just Humbert Humbert when in all reality I just chose a shitty place to pee."

"Is anyone else here on the sex offender registry?" Mulder asked, trying to keep mental note of all the details Randy was telling him. The guy seemed desperate to talk to someone, so it was overwhelmingly easy to get information out of him. Child brides, torture, and sex offenders living amongst children - he needed to find the rendezvous spot today so he could tell Sheriff Halloran immediately.

"Not that I'm aware of, but probably," Randy replied before switching subjects. "How long have you and Katherine been together?"

"Seven years as of March," Mulder replied, not even having to fake the pride in his voice.

"Can I ask why you haven't had children?" he asked.

Dread settled in Mulder's gut, if he was being asked this, he had no doubt Scully was and the thought made his heart ache for her. "I-um, timing hasn't been right," he replied. Now he was nervous that if Scully told the women about her infertility they might face backlash or them being insensitive to her, but he didn't want to bring it up himself either.

_Why couldn't anything be simple?_

"Hm," the other man nodded, having no idea how loaded his question had been. "Is your back okay, by the way?"

"Uh, yeah. It stings, but Katherine has some medical training so she bandaged me up," he replied before adding, "Hey, what-what was that?"

"A branding iron. It smarts bu-"

"No, what was that place I went to?" Mulder clarified.

Randy was silent for a moment as if figuring out how to explain it. "Um, it's called the other side."

"Was I hallucinating? Was something in the drink?" Mulder asked, knowing he needed to get the technicalities out of the way.

"No, not like that. Victor puts some muscle relaxant in the drink, but that's just to loosen people up and prevent them from feeling pain... _as much_ pain. It just tastes bad because it's shitty off-brand Kool Aid," he shrugged.

Mulder suppressed making a cult joke with the Kool Aid, instead asking, "So, it's real? Does everyone go there?"

"You're not going to believe me," he sighed.

Mulder grinned. "Try me."

Randy took a deep inhalation before exhaling, "It's something Victor does. I don't know how, but he can just focus on someone and transport them there. He always does it with new recruits because it gives them a chance to see their dead loved ones and then people crave going back there so much they devote themselves to him."

Mulder felt his heart sink slightly at Randy's words, looking off in the distance only to be met with the burial plots. "Is it always people who've died?" Mulder asked solemnly.

"As far as I'm aware," Randy shrugged, oblivious to the sting of his words. "Someone asked if he was controlling the people, but Victor said he was just setting a meeting space, not puppeteering."

"Is it acceptable to ask Victor stuff like that so openly?" Mulder questioned.

He turned when Randy didn't answer and he caught him staring at the burial plots before snapping his attention back to the road and stating: "It's frowned upon."

Mulder wanted to ask who Randy saw, but he didn't want to explain or make something up if he asked in kind. They ended up walking together in silence, Mulder eating his apple while Randy snacked on some errant, dry Cheerios. When they arrived, they were told they'd both be tasked with fence duty, fortifying sections that were wearing down.

"By the way, Robert," the man in charge of doling out the tasks stated, not bothering to look at him.

"Yeah?" he replied, turning.

"Word has gotten around that Katherine revealed herself to two of the men here. I think it would be wise of you to remind her of the rules, lest she develops even more of a reputation," he stated before telling another man what his task was.

"Excuse me?" Mulder replied, irritation evident in his tone. "What are you talking about?"

The man looked over at Mulder in irritation. "Apparently when you were dropped off last night, she ran outside in her slip to meet you."

Mulder hadn't remembered that part since he'd been so out of it from the time he passed out from over exertion in the basement to when Scully was tending to him. Part of him was mad she'd put herself at risk, but the rational side of him knew it was out of worry and that his frustration should instead be at the men for making something as simple as her being in her pyjamas a dangerous situation.

"Maybe they should learn to keep their eyes to themselves," he spat.

"Maybe you need to remind your wife that she isn't allowed to leave the home after six o'clock, she's not allowed to speak to men that aren't you, and flaunting herself is just asking for trouble," he replied, puffing up his chest.

Mulder took a step forward and seethed, "What do you mean by 'asking for trouble'?"

"I mean that others may not be as inclined to spare the rod as you seem to be," he replied, the double meaning not lost on Mulder.

Mulder was about to grab the man when Randy stepped in between them. "Hey, hey, hey," he implored. "I think we're getting a little tense here. I think we all just need to breathe and try to-"

"Get to work," the man finished.

"Uh, yeah," Randy agreed, taking the opportunity to leave. "Come here, Rob. I'll show you the fence," he stated awkwardly, grabbing Mulder's elbow and dragging him away.

"I thought the bond between a husband and wife was sacred or whatever," Mulder whispered to the redheaded man.

"It is, but some people aren't as apt to follow rules," Randy replied.

Mulder felt worry start to gnaw at his gut. He'd thought pretending to be married would grant them immunity from the cult's perversion, but now he was worried they weren't being convincing and painting targets on themselves. "You said people know something isn't usual with you and Laurie, do you worry about her?"

"I guess I'm lucky in that regard," Randy said. "The community places a strong emphasis on keeping children safe. Laurie grew up here, so most people still know her as a little girl so they're less inclined to do anything. Now if she were an outsider-" he explained before abruptly stopping. "Sorry."

"I appreciate your honesty," Mulder deadpanned.

As they were walking, Mulder saw the hollowed out tree and raised his hand up. "Hey, I'm so sorry. I was running late this morning and I haven't taken a leak yet. Do you mind if I-?" he asked, pointing to the tree.

"No, no, go ahead," Randy assured. "I'll just wait for you and, uh, look at the sky over here."

Mulder smiled as the man awkwardly turned around and Mulder quickly scanned to make sure no one was watching before running to the trunk. He squatted down and saw they'd spared no expenses and gotten them a new Nokia and a charger. He quickly stuffed them into his underwear, not wanting them to be visible in his pockets before stuffing a yellow legal pad note in his front pocket.

He then peed for good measure, not knowing how good Randy's hearing was before boasting. "Let's build ourselves a fence."

_The Washing Area_

_The Hallowed Compound_

_7:58 A.M. Monday_

Unsure of what the proper protocol was for bringing the clothes to the morning wash, she arrived with a few minutes to spare, carrying the small hamper from their room containing her and Mulder's clothes from last night and the day before. It appeared she'd made the right decision as everyone seemed to be sitting next to their own, very similar hampers in front of a bucket of soapy water.

Scully took the open spot in between Lorraine and Laurie and greeted them both with sweet smiles. Across from them, facing their direction, were three other women she hadn't been introduced to yet, one of whom was the mousy woman who'd spoken first yesterday and been snapped at.

"I haven't forgotten what you said," Scully greeted softly. "I'll try to switch hands to avoid cramping."

The woman's eyes lit up with a smile at Scully's remembrance, but she quickly looked down as someone shushed Scully. She glanced over and saw a man had been running late to work, passing by them with a long stare.

Scully bit her lip and watched as Laurie started pulling the clothes out expertly, dunking each piece to wet it before rubbing it against the washboard. Reaching into her hamper, she tried to hide her initial embarrassment at having pulled out Mulder's boxers. She followed the lead of the people around her, only slightly slower than everyone else. She could hear whispering start up and she realized the women were more inclined to break the rules than she'd initially believed. Apparently the only stringent rule was to not break any around the men.

She let out an audible sigh when she pulled out Mulder's shirt from yesterday, letting it rest in her lap as she ran her thumb over the dried blood. "Oof," the mousy woman whispered. "That's going to take a lot of scrubbing."

"Yeah," Scully admitted with a sigh, disturbed at how ruddy the water became as soon as the shirt touched it.

"Wait, wait," a woman diagonal to her whispered. "Pull it out."

Scully did as instructed as the woman walked over to her. She pulled out some extra liquid soap she had in a small cup and poured it over the blood. "Let it sit for a few minutes on the grass. Make sure to wash it last so your other clothes don't turn orange."

"Thank you so much," she replied with a smile, appreciative of the kindness. "And, I'm sorry. I'm not sure I've caught your na-"

"Are you alright after Robert came home from the ritual, Katherine?" a different woman asked, interrupting her.

"I'm alright, Robert has soft feet," she joked.

"Not that, I mean _after_ _his_ ritual, when he came home," she reiterated. "Are _you_ alright?"

"I-um," Scully stammered, looking around and noticing everyone was fixated on her, yet she wasn't sure why. "I don't know what you're asking. _Robert_ came home injured from the ritual."

"Was he riled up?" a woman further down Scully's line asked.

"He was, yes. He seemed to be excited by whatever it was that happened down there," she replied honestly. Scully had to bite back a gasp when she saw one of the women rolling up their sleeves to wash the clothes. All along their arms in various shades and shapes were bruises and other markings, and, glancing at the other women, that was the norm. Instantly, she knew what they were asking.

She looked down at her own, unmarred forearms, and the movement caused the other women to notice, their faces turning from empathetic to slightly hardened. "I, um, he was tired soon after coming home."

"Hmm," one of the women murmured.

Scully looked over to Lorraine and saw she was one of the few without any marks. She met her eye as if to say _told you so_ before continuing to work. Scully felt shame start to burn her chest, partially because she felt like she'd failed a test and lost their trust, but also because she'd had such a peaceful night with Mulder while these other women weren't so lucky. A perverted sense of survivor's guilt.

"Do you like your home?" Laurie asked from next to her.

She turned to the girl and felt a swell of protectiveness come over her. She didn't need to ask to know there was no way this girl was over eighteen. She thought Mulder's friend from this morning was nice, she was glad he had someone to talk to, but knowing that he was married to such a young girl made her blood boil.

Smiling as sweetly as she could she nodded, "I do, thank you."

Her eyes focused on the girl's hands as she washed a pair of boxers before flitting back to her face so as to not let her irritation show. "Where do you live? I think your husband stopped by my home this morning. Randy?" she asked.

"Mhm," she nodded with a smile. "That's him, we're your neighbors, actually. We live at 0408."

Scully's brow furrowed in confusion at the numbering system of the houses. "I'm 1408, how does that work?" she asked.

"If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord," the girl reiterated.

The sudden transition shocked her and she didn't realize that was the atmosphere of the women. "Um-" she started.

"Your address is Romans 14:8. Mine is Matthew 4:8 'Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor,'" she explained. "Our house numbers are similar, but many others appear random."

"Must be hard trying to navigate the place," Scully replied with a chuckle, unsettled by the quotes themselves and their implications.

"We get by," another woman whispered.

"Mommy," a familiar child's voice called out from beside her.

For a moment, as she tended to do, she had a momentary flash of Emily. The warmth of her tiny hand in her own as she asked " _Mommy, let me go_."

Scully blinked away the thought and turned to see Annabelle climbing onto Lorraine's lap. There were about ten or so children playing in the empty field next to them, but Annabelle had been sitting off to herself the whole time.

"Annabelle, mommy's working," Lorraine reprimanded, helping the child up regardless.

"I'm tired," she mumbled, resting her face against Lorraine's neck.

"She's so calm for a toddler," Scully praised.

Lorraine looked at her with a polite smile. "Thanks, usually she's a lot more active, but she hasn't been feeling good lately."

"Have you taken her to a hospital?" Scully asked, looking at the girl.

She heard chairs creaking as the people around her shifted uncomfortably. "We aren't allowed to leave," she replied.

"Not even if-"

"No," she shook her head, irritation at the fact evident in her tone. "We don't leave."

Scully felt a frown tugging at her lips. The men seemed to like it here, and they were in a place that socially privileged their position, but she couldn't understand why the women chose to stay here. Why more didn't attempt to escape, especially when so much mistreatment was happening.

The only thing she could think of was that the threat of death was stronger than people were letting on.

Glancing down the line of women, she saw Rosemary sitting by herself, her arms arguably the worst of all. She was half curious if an example was made of her, when your husband messes up it is a reflection on you, or something to that extent. Not wanting to stare, she turned back to her washboard.

Clearing her throat, Scully stated, "I used to help the nurse at the Elementary School I worked at. I have decent medical experience from that. If you ever want, I'd be more than happy to take a look at her."

Lorraine smiled at her. "Thank you, if she doesn't start getting better, I'll definitely take you up on that. Also, I didn't know that about you. It makes sense why you're so good with kids."

"Thanks," Scully replied softly, finishing Mulder's shirt.

"Why haven't you had any of your own?" Laurie asked.

Scully felt an uncomfortable tension settle over her. "Um," she started, remembering that she and Mulder agreed to use their own lives as best they could. "It's a little hard for me," she shrugged.

"I'm sorry," Laurie replied with a frown.

"It's okay," Scully whispered before standing up. "I'm going to go take these and hang them up on the clothesline so I can start Robert's lunch."

She turned with her hamper, walking away from the women as she let out a slow breath. _This couldn't be over soon enough._

_The Thorn Residence_

_The Hallowed Compound_

_12:04 P.M. Monday_

Bounding up the steps of his and Scully's place, he was greeted with the sound and smell of something cooking. "Honey, I'm home," he greeted while opening the door.

Scully was standing in front of the stove, her hair pulled back into a bun, but the length causing a few strands to wisp out in various, haphazard directions. She looked over her shoulder at him and sent him a beaming smile before turning back to the meal she was preparing. "How was work?" she asked.

"Let's just say I could use a massage later," he teased. He turned his back away from her and reached into his pants, pulling out the phone and charger that had been stabbing him all morning.

"Mulder, what're you doing?" she asked in confusion.

He turned his face over his shoulder and showed her the phone in his hand before wetting a paper towel with soap and water and cleaning it gently. "No where else to put it," he replied in chagrin.

Knowing that they had a connection to the outside world made him feel exponentially better, like a weight was lifted off his shoulders.

"Can you lock the windows and doors so we can call Halloran and give him an update?" she asked.

"Sure thing," he replied, doing as she said before hopping on the counter to sit next to the stove, facing her. "That smells really good. I didn't know you cooked," he added.

A smaller, shyer smile graced her lips and she replied, "I like to cook. I just don't usually have a lot of time for it."

He leaned over, looking into the pot, and saw she was making some Italian dish. "It's just spaghetti with some sauteed vegetables," she responded to his unasked question.

"Scully, did you know the way to a man's heart is through his stomach?" he teased.

"Maybe wait until after you try it to declare your love, _Robert_ ," she emphasized with a smirk.

Deciding not to get too comfortable while they still had work to do, he switched back to the matter at hand, going around and closing all the windows. "What about you? How is it going with the women?"

She shook her head before turning the burner down and grabbing two bowls from the cupboard. "Not great," she replied. "They don't trust me and I only have two friends."

"Two? No need to gloat Scully," he chuckled. "Why do you think they don't trust you?" he asked, hopping down to help her.

"Thanks," she murmured, handing him the bowls so he could portion out the food. She leaned her hip against the counter and crossed her hands while looking out the window to make sure no one was outside. "Lorraine, one of the moms married to the group's mouthpiece, said it was because people are jealous we have a good relationship," she answered.

"What do you mean?" he replied.

"It seems there's a sort of hierarchy of privilege. Women who were married before hand seem far luckier than those who were in arranged marriages. The only arranged marriage wife who seems less emotionally jaded is Laurie, your friend's wife, but she's a child so she may not even realize the abuse happening to her," she explained.

Shaking his head while bringing the bowls to the table, he explained, "No, he doesn't touch her because he isn't comfortable with it. They've made a pact with each other to keep up appearances, but it's a façade. Randy said he thinks people know though and treat them differently."

Scully looked visibly relieved and nodded, digesting his words. "I can see that. A lot of the other women seem to snap at her."

"And the men treat Randy like a dud." He turned to look at her and was met with her offering him a fork. "Thanks," he replied, smiling at the ease in which they domestically danced together.

They sat down and began eating, putting a temporary pin on that conversation.

Scully had made him a few miscellaneous things over the years, a sandwich here and there, sometimes he nibbled on scraps of the food she'd make and bring to work - but he'd never had anything properly cooked by her. He didn't know what to expect, preparing to be polite no matter what, he brought the fork up to his mouth and couldn't help the smile that erupted.. "I petition that from now on instead of takeout, you cook for us during movie nights. Scully, this is delicious," he beamed.

It seemed she couldn't look him in the eye when he paid her a compliment because her gaze fell into her food, but even so, he could see the straining of her cheeks to repress a smile. "That's kind of you to say," she replied softly, before looking up with her mask of indifference. "Only if you bring the beer," she quipped.

"Deal," he nodded with a smile.

They continued to eat their meal while just filling each other in about miscellaneous things they'd learned through the day. "The house numbers are bible quotes?" He asked, licking the corners of his mouth.

"Yeah," she nodded. "All about devotion and sacrifice."

"Why do you think they call themselves the Hallowed?" He asked, figuring she might know better than he because of her background. "Do they just consider this Hallowed ground or something?"

"Maybe," she replied through a mouthful of food. Swallowing, she added, "Or, it's like 'hallowed be thy name.' Maybe indicating that those in the Hallowed are chosen or sacred and should be revered. I'm not sure though."

He nodded before sliding his hand into his pocket and pulling out the piece of paper he'd stored there. "What's that?" She asked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"It was in the tree trunk," he replied, unfolding it.

_Dear M &S,_

_Be safe._

_2074042604_

Mulder grabbed the phone and dialed the number, moving around the table to sit next to Scully so they could both listen and talk. She pressed her temple to his, her hair tickling the side of his face as they listened to the phone ringing.

"Is it you guys?" Halloran's voice cashed from the other line

"Yeah," Mulder replied looking around to make sure no one was looking through the windows.

"Thank god, we were worried when we didn't hear from you yesterday. Find anything out?" He asked.

Scully turned to look at him and he looked back, trying to ignore how close their faces were. "You go first," she replied.

He nodded and they resumed their earlier position. "The men are violent, I've seen most of them display severe aggression. They branded me last night while I was passed out."

Mulder wasn't as focused on Halloran's reaction as he was Scully's. She inhaled deeply in irritation and he could feel her jaw clench against his. "I know there's one guy here officially on the sex offender registry, though on a technicality, but they were fine letting him in here with children here. I'm not sure about the others. I also have one confirmed instance of the cult arranging a marriage with a sixteen year old girl. But what I find really disturbing is that there seems to be a mass grave here, possibly spanning over a few decades. Some of the graves even have fresh soil, as if they were recently dug."

"Did anyone mention anything about it?" Halloran asked, disturbed.

"No, no. They're covering something up. They claimed it was for composting, yet I've seen no one tend to it," he explained.

Halloran let out a long breath of frustration before asking, "What about you Agent Scully?"

"A lot of the women here, as expected, are being physically assaulted by their husbands. Maybe more. I also learned that they aren't allowed access to medical care if they are ill. But the biggest piece of news I have is that Rosemary is still alive, but she's been given as a bride to another man in the cult against her will," she explained.

Mulder felt his heart go out to Neil. He was sure to find comfort in knowing she was alive, but he was undoubtedly going to torture himself with imagining what she was going through.

"I'm glad to hear she's alive," Halloran stated on the other line. "This is good information, Agents. This gives us a lot to go off of. Now, since you know where the tree is, what I'd appreciate you two working on would be trying to find out the first and last names of some of these people so we can run them through the missing person's database so we can find out if there have been any kidnappings. If you're able to get anything with DNA that's even better," he explained.

"Okay, we'll try," Scully nodded.

"We can't express how much we appreciate this, Agents. They need to be shut down. Do you need anything? Especially for the brand?" He asked.

Mulder was about to reply in the negative when Scully spoke up. "There's a little girl who's sick here. Can you get me some children's aspirin and possibly some amoxicillin?"

Mulder's heart went out to Scully. He knew seeing a sick child had to be hard for her, especially a little girl.

"No problem," Halloran said. "It will be there by tomorrow morning."

"Sounds good," Mulder said before ending the call and stashing the phone in the cabinet above the refrigerator with a sigh, his back burning at the movement.

There was still a lot of work to be done.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions are rising.

_The Thorn Residence_

_The Hallowed Compound_

_1:12 P.M. Monday_

After Mulder had left to go back to work, Scully decided to wander around outside in hopes she might find something to do. She'd left washing duty so quickly that she hadn't gotten instructions on if she was supposed to meet anyone else later in the day.

The place looked deserted. She couldn't see the men in the field since this far away the slope of the hill obstructed her view. She was just about to cut in between two houses to see if anyone was on the other side when she heard a _psst._

Looking to the side, she saw Rosemary standing in front of her screen door, watching Scully from inside her dark house while her long black hair hung limply on either side of her face. "Come here," she whispered, gesturing urgently.

Scully closed the distance between them, looking at Rosemary's sullen face. "What are you doing wandering around by yourself?" the woman asked.

"I didn't know where to go after lunch," Scully replied honestly.

"You're supposed to clean the house. Though cleaning the house becomes a redundant task when it was cleaned the day before and the day before that and so on and so on," Rosemary stated.

Scully looked around to see if anyone was nearby before taking a step closer to the screen separating them. "Would you mind if I came in?" Scully asked.

"No," she replied.

Scully moved to open the door only to realize it was locked, a huge padlock facing the outside keeping Rosemary from opening the door. "But Jason would," she added.

"He locked you in here?" Scully replied, her brows turning downward in concern.

"I'm not to be trusted," she replied.

The woman seemed defeated, utterly exhausted. She'd seen the bruises on the other women, but Rosemary's skin was as colorful as an artist's easel - a portrait of violence. Scully's heart broke for the woman, she was trapped here after coming to support her husband, yet she told him to leave because she wanted him to be safe. Now it appeared she faced an existence worse than death.

Scully just wanted to give her something to live for.

"Because of what Neil did?" Scully asked in a hushed tone, locking eyes with Rosemary.

"H-how did you know about that? No one is allowed to speak his name here," she replied, life in her voice for the first time since Scully met her.

Scully took a step closer to the screen so that they were only inches apart. "I'm trusting you to keep this secret. Robert and I were sent here because of Neil," she stated. "He said after he left, he ran to get the Sheriff, but when they'd tried to come back and get you, you were gone."

Rosemary's face set into a mask of indignant anger as tears started welling in her eyes. "They broke my leg as soon as he left. One of the men just pushed me on the ground and put all his weight on my calf until it snapped. Retribution. Then they put tape over my mouth and a bag on my head and hid me until he was gone," she explained. "I could hear him," she added breathlessly.

"He's worried about you. Neil and the local Sheriff have been working together for the past six months trying to figure out how to save you and everyone here," Scully explained, watching as the woman tried to suppress her emotions.

"W-where is he? How is he? How did he look?" she asked in a worried littany, hanging off every word Scully was saying.

Scully had to resist the urge to smile. The woman just reminded her so much of her and Mulder; no matter how injured one was, the other was their first thought. "He looks healthy, but he's consumed by his mission to find you and I think that's affecting him. Other than that, good."

A tear fell from Rosemary's eyelash and wetted a line down her cheek. "That's good. So... are you the police?"

"FBI," Scully responded.

"Holy shit," Rosemary balked.

"Rosemary, can I ask you a favor?" Scully asked. "Please say no if you don't feel safe."

"I never feel safe, so that's of little consequence. I'll do anything you need," she said.

"I promise you, I'm going to bring you back to Neil in one piece," Scully stated firmly, waiting for Rosemary to nod before continuing. "If you can, it would be really beneficial to the case if you could write down anything you've seen here that's illegal, any full names you've heard, and anything you've learned about the cult."

"How do I get it to you?" Rosemary asked.

"During the wash-"

"No," Rosemary cut her off. "I'm always watched." She glanced around furtively and added, "We could be being watched now for all I know."

"Even when the men are gone?" Scully asked, feeling a sense of unease wash over her at the prospect she may be putting her cover at risk.

Rosemary let a humorless laugh escape her lips. "Yes. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but have you observed there are women here whose names you just can't remember? They might talk, they may always be there, but you can't remember for the life of you if you know their name and no one will ever say it. And if you start to ask, someone interrupts you? Someone else whose name you don't quite know either?"

"Yes," Scully nodded thoughtfully.

"Some of the women think that if they are loyal enough they can transcend the misogyny the men feel towards them. That maybe if they act as the eyes and the ears to what the women are doing, what they are saying, that maybe they can have a chance to see the other side," she explained. "Nothing is sadder than a woman who works against her own to gain the favor of men."

"How are you sure they're watching you?" Scully asked.

"I overheard them while I was being hidden. One of them revealed that I'd expressed discontent with the Hallowed during morning wash. The man said to keep up the good work and maybe one day she could see her father again. You know, like how the men can see people during the meetings," Rosemary stated. "If Jason didn't have a thing for me, they would have just killed me."

Scully felt her heart drop in sympathy. "I'm so sorry, Rosemary," she lamented.

"So am I," Rosemary nodded. "But I do have an idea. However, it would put you in danger too." Rosemary glanced around furtively, anxiety making a home on her face. Scully felt herself grow nervous herself.

"What is it?" Scully asked.

"I'll put my notes in a plastic bag, bring it to wash with me, and hang it up inside of my day dress on the clothesline," she explained, pointing to the string attached to her house, the clothes from earlier still hanging. "You would just have to come and get it. There are eyes everywhere, so I would recommend doing it while the men are at the gathering, but that would mean going out after dark, past curfew."

"I'll do it," Scully said with a firm nod. If Rosemary had enough information, the case would be so loaded that no defense attorney could poke holes in it.

Then they could get the hell out of here.

"Is there anything you could tell me now?" she asked lowly.

Rosemary shook her head violently, looking around again. "No, no. You _need_ to get back home, now. It's unsafe for you to be this far from home alone, even during the day."

Scully nodded, "Okay, okay. I will."

"I'll write it today before dinner. Pick it up tomorrow night, okay?" she instructed.

Scully held up her hand and pressed it against the screen, smiling when Rosemary mimicked the gesture. "Okay. And if you ever feel like your life is in danger, let me or my partner know."

The sound of a distant porch door opening caused Rosemary to jump as her eyes darted around like a startled animal. She locked eyes with Scully and implored, "You should really go home. Even though the men are at work, you don't want to stumble into a bad situation."

Scully just nodded and started back home, turning back when a sudden thought struck her. "Hey," she whispered, getting Rosemary's attention. "My partner and I are in contact with the Sheriff Neil works with. Do you want me to pass along a message that the Sheriff can tell him?"

Rosemary nodded violently before whispering, "Tell him that I love him and that we're taking that damned trip to Ireland as soon as I'm out."

Scully didn't know what that meant, but figured it was something personal between the two of them. "Will do," she nodded before glancing at the house number so she could remember later. "2511," she repeated lightly to herself as she walked back home.

_5:12 P.M._

Scully was quickly learning that she was not great at passing time. To keep up appearances, she cleaned the house and did the dishes, but since the house had already been deeply cleaned before they moved in, there wasn't much she could do to make a difference. She tried playing some games by herself, but got bored sooner than she had been while cleaning.

At closer to five, she'd started making dinner and now she was just loitering in the kitchen stirring the pot idly. The door behind her opened and she turned around with a smile, a smile that quickly faltered when she saw it was one of the other men in the cult instead of Mulder. He was one of the bigger ones that had leered at her after bringing Mulder back from the gathering. She felt her chest tighten as her instincts from self-defense training started to kick in.

"Where's Robert?" She asked sweetly, taking a step back as he took a step forward.

"Finishing up in the field," he replied shortly before unabashedly letting his eyes roam her body. "You're not supposed to talk to men that aren't your husband," he chided.

"But I'm allowed to speak inside the home, and I don't want to be a poor hostess," she replied, hoping her voice was as steady as she was aiming for.

"That's awfully kind of you," he smirked, taking another step towards her.

The movement caused her to take a step back, only to feel the edge of the counter press against her back.

"Was there something you needed?" She asked, putting her hands behind her back so she could discreetly find something sharp on the counter. "Rob should be home anytime now."

He took another step forward until he was only an arms length away from her. She risked a glance out the window and she could see Mulder talking to Randy about fifty yards away.

Her view of him was eclipsed by the man's body stepping right in front of her. She glanced up at him and saw a cocky grin tugging on his lips. "I wanted to see if you looked as good in the light as you did in the dark," he murmured, lifting a dirty hand to brush a strand of hair behind her ear.

She instinctively shied her head away, only for his hand to grab her jaw on either side and twist her face back to him. He was so close that she could smell the staleness of his breath as he loomed over her.

The counter felt smooth under her touch, but she felt a vase graze the tips of her fingers. "It's rare for the Hallowed to get such a hot piece of ass," he remarked, a twang evident in his voice.

She let out a shuddering, nervous breath as her fingers pushed the vase towards the sink. Trying to do anything to cause a distraction. "Do you think Rob is okay with sharing?" He asked in what she was sure he thought was a suave tone.

The vase slid the remaining few inches into the sink, causing a loud shattering sound to break the tension.

"Oops," she laughed, turning out of his grasp to focus on the sink, hoping the sound carried through the screen door.

Scully heard a tsking sound as she gathered the glass shards into her hands, keeping one particularly sharp shard at the ready, a sense of frustration building as she saw one of his large hands bracket against either side of her on the counter, trapping her in the perimeter of his arms.

His body heat radiated against her back as she felt his face lean towards her ear. "A bit of a mess, aren't ya?" He asked.

She feigned laughter, trying to defuse the situation. "I'm not too efficient in the kitchen," she replied.

"That's fine by me. I'd just keep you in the bedroom," he murmured before the sound of the screen door opening made him ease up.

She let out a low breath of relief as she heard Mulder's voice. "Hey, Scull-Tobe? What are you doing here?" He asked, his tone dropping as he regarded the intruder in their home. Scully felt her stomach plummet at the name, remembering it from Isaac's warning when they were being driven here.

The man took a step away from her and she walked over to the trash to dispose of the vase remnants. "I heard a crash and I wanted to see if your little miss needed any help," Tobe boasted with feigned civility.

Scully looked over at Mulder and saw his jaw was clenched tightly. There must have been some distress on her face because she saw his nostrils flare as he turned to Tobe. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't enter my home when I'm not here," he stated sternly.

Tobe raised his arms in mock surrender as he walked to the door. "I didn't mean to overstep, Rob. Just trying to be neighborly."

"I'm sure," Mulder deadpanned. "I don't mean to be unneighborly, but would you mind leaving so I could have some time with my wife."

Tobe chuckled and murmured, "I'll bet." He walked past Mulder, clapping him hard on the shoulder, so that Mulder was almost caught off balance. "See you later," he called over his shoulder as he opened the screen door, only he made direct eye contact with Scully when he said it.

Mulder brusquely walked over and slammed the door shut, locking it behind him as she began stirring the food she'd been making before the interruption. She felt him walking up to her and she could sense he was upset.

"Did he hurt you?" Mulder asked, touching her arm lightly.

"N-no, no. He was just inappropriate with me," she assured, shaking her head. Wishing she could have a moment to process it herself without having to mediate Mulder's anger.

That answer didn't appear to bring him any comfort as his brow furrowed. "Did he touch you?"

"Jesus, Mulder," she exclaimed. "He just touched my face, and was a little crude. That's all," she added shortly.

"I'm sorry," he replied, remorse evident in his tone.

She shot him a look and crossed her arms. "For what? Not having telepathic powers? Not being able to predict the future," she deadpanned, her irritation and frustration at the situation misdirecting itself towards him.

"For not coming back sooner," he replied, accepting her anger without trying to match it.

"Mulder, I don't need you to defend me," she replied with a shaky sigh, the adrenaline putting her on edge. There was a pause and she turned to see him biting his lip. "What?" she snapped.

"It looked like he had you cornered when I came in here. He's easily three times your size, _and_ that was one of the guys we were warned about. I'd agree that he is one of the more brutish men here," Mulder replied.

"You were right outside," she replied. "Did you come because you heard a noise?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"See, I handled it," she replied, though she knew that was a weak argument.

"But-" he started, but she didn't want to hear it.

" _Enough_ , Mulder," she snapped.

She was just frustrated that it now appeared to Mulder that she couldn't handle herself. She'd just been taken so off guard by the man's bold actions that she hadn't been as on top of it or she would have done things differently. Objectively she knew she was twisting the actions of an awful man and finding a way to blame herself, but no matter what, now Mulder was going to feel like she needed protecting and it made her feel weak.

He just looked at her with undisguised worry and she couldn't meet his gaze. "Go make sure the doors and windows are locked so we can report to Halloran. I need to tell him something and I wanted to wait in case you had an update," she sighed, grabbing the bowls for their food.

"Scully, I-," he started.

"Mulder, please," she stated softly.

He sighed, his annoyance clear as he grumbled, "Fine."

Scully turned off the stove and scooped out their food, some home-made chicken noodle soup, before setting the bowls on the kitchen table. She walked over to the kitchen counter and climbed up, kneeling as she opened the cabinet doors above the refrigerator to grab the phone. Mulder made his way over, likely to help her down, but she slid off the counter without acknowledging him.

He let out a low sigh and walked in the other direction and got silverware instead, sitting down at the table across from her.

"Please don't shut me out, Scully," he pleaded vulnerably. "I didn't mean to piss you off. I'm just irritated that these men boast that women are supposedly 'safe' if they're married, yet this guy just waltzes in here wanting to mount you," he stated, throwing his hands up in the air. She was surprised he was being so open with his feelings, but she knew this meant she should be in return.

"I'm just mad because I wish I'd reacted better," she grumbled, leaning back in her chair. "Now I feel like you're going to be distracted and focused on protecting me when I think you're in just as much danger."

"What do you mean reacted better?" he asked gently.

"I was being friendly, I should have just been curt and told him to leave," she sighed.

Mulder looked at her intently, not moving to interrupt and waiting until he was sure she was done before speaking. "Did you know that fight or flight is a guy thing?" he asked.

"How so?" she asked.

"You might find this all archaic, I don't know," he stated, rubbing the back of his neck. "But, apparently fight or flight originates back to the hunter and gatherer times. Men would fight opponents weaker than them and flee when the threat was too strong. Over time there's also been the addition of freeze, when your brain shuts down as a defense mechanism and you do neither," he explained.

She stared at him blankly and he quickly rushed to his next point. "A social scientist named Shelly Taylor released an article just this year actually where she said applying the same logic to women is painting with a bit of a broad brush. Men are conditioned to act in a physical manner whereas women are conditioned to rely on sociability. All of this to say, it's more common for women to implement something called 'Tend and Befriend' where, in the face of a threat, they tend to those who are weaker around them, usually children, and/or they attempt to befriend the threat. It doesn't mean befriend in how we usually connote the word, but it means making yourself seem friendly to attempt to negate harm coming your way. People are less apt to attack when the person is friendly rather than hostile."

"So you're saying that being kind to him was an act of self defense?" she asked, admittedly interested in what he was saying.

"Yes, that, but I'm also saying that you shouldn't be so hard on yourself or think that I am critical of you. I trust you more than anyone else, I know that in the face of potential danger, you're going to make the decisions that feel best," he replied.

Leaning forward, locking eyes with her, he stated adamantly, "But, even if your response was to freeze I wouldn't blame you for a second."

She let her gaze fall down to her food and let out a long breath. "I just don't want you to feel like you need to protect me," she whispered. The confession she'd admitted to the FBI therapist all those years ago was making a return.

"I'm sorry if I've ever made you feel that way," he apologized. "But my desire to protect you doesn't feel like a burden or something I _have_ to do. It's something I want to do because I'm your partner and I would do anything if it meant I could prevent you from feeling a moment's pain. I know you feel the same because of how you react anytime I have to leave. I guess I just sometimes don't realize mine might come across as overbearing since I'm a man."

"I'm sorry for getting agitated. Thank you, Mulder," she replied softly, grabbing his hand and squeezing it lightly.

"Always," he implored, tapping his thumb against hers.

They sat in silence for a while, Mulder listening as she talked to Halloran on the phone, repeating her conversation with Rosemary and passing along her message. The only update Mulder had was that the cult apparently had called off tonight's meeting. They hadn't given a reason why, but Randy had said it happened on occasion.

She couldn't deny the fact that she was relieved he wasn't going there, especially after last night, but she knew they both found the timing rather odd. The fact that it was only their second day here and the meeting was cancelled suddenly didn't sit well with her.

But there was nothing they could do about it other than enjoy their night together and prepare for tomorrow.

_8:24 P.M._

After dinner, they'd both taken turns having a bath. He honestly wasn't sure who took longer, him or her. Normally Mulder was an in and out of the shower in under ten minutes kinda guy, but his body was aching more than he'd ever remembered.

It also brought a small smile to his face that they'd shared bathwater to conserve water. He was probably making it up, but part of him felt like he could still smell her in the room. Pulling the drain with his toe, he sat up slowly and grabbed the damp towel from where Scully had put it earlier. It smelled lightly of her and it made him smile at the simple comfort.

He hung it back up before putting on a fresh pair of boxers. A sting on his lower back reminded him of his wound and he realized it had been a while since they'd changed it. Opening the door, he called, "Hey, Scully?"

He heard the sound of her feet padding on the hardwood as she made her way to him. "Yeah?" She asked.

"Can you fix me up again?" He asked, turning his back to her.

She gasped slightly and immediately lamented, "I'm so sorry, Mulder. We should have put a clean dressing on it this morning. I totally forgot."

He shrugged and watched as she pulled the first aid kid from the medicine cabinet.

If there was anything that was going to kill him here, it was going to be her in that nightdress. It was beyond flattering on her, and in the light he could see certain details he couldn't when they were laying in bed, namely how it was so thin he could see the gentle pebbling of her nipples on her chest and the raised bump on the top of her bellybutton.

His blood still boiled at how Victor had invaded her privacy and been so cruel towards her, but he still thought back to that moment and was hung up on that reveal. " _And the navel ring?"_

He'd seen her naked when they were in Antarctica, but it was only a flash. He wasn't in the business of ogling unconscious women and time hadn't been on his side to thoroughly check if she was injured. In the quick sweep he did get, he most certainly did _not_ see a navel ring.

"Can I ask you something?" He prompted.

"Shoot," she replied, preoccupied with cleaning his wound.

"Do you really have your belly button pierced?" He asked, taking a quick glance down through the reflection of the mirror.

A small smile quirked her lips upward. "Yes," she replied, grabbing some Neosporin.

"When did you get it?" He asked.

"After my cancer went into remission," she admitted. "I wanted to reclaim my body."

He'd been expecting a tale of a rebellious young Scully, not something as heavy as that. Curiosity fueled his next question as he asked, "Can I see it?"

"Let me put your gauze on first," she replied, ripping it from the sterile package. He felt her skilled hands apply the material as quickly as she could. He'd experienced it more times over the years than he probably should've, but Scully was a master at tending to patients and making it as minimally painful as possible. The wound on his back was still fresh, yet her touches felt like the grazing of feathers.

Once she was done, with a coy smile, she turned to him and lifted the hem of her dress. He supposed that was the obvious way for her to show him, but the sight of her lifting her dress still stunned him and it must've been obvious since she chuckled.

He bent down on one knee so he could get a better look, trying to ignore the fact that if he looked further down he'd be met with the sight of her small, white panties.

She was wearing a gold hoop that was glinting from the light of the bathroom. He placed his hand on her side and used his thumb to graze the ring gently, watching as it moved back and forth in the tiny crevice of her navel. "It looks great," he complimented with a toothy grin.

He looked up at her and saw she was looking down at him with an amused expression on her face mixed with something unreadable - her hands clutching the fabric of her dress under her breasts. "Thank you," she replied softly.

He let go of her and stood up, ignoring the protesting of his knees. "No, thank _you_ for bandaging me up."

"Consider it payback," she smirked.

He knew what she was referring to immediately. For two straight weeks last month, he had to go over to her place every day to bandage her back from where it had gotten cut up during her fight with Donnie Pfaster. He could tell she didn't really want to ask for help, but she wasn't able to do it on her own.

"How's your back healing?" He asked.

"I don't really know," she replied, turning around so he could look. "I think good, but I can't see very well."

He glanced at the expanse of her upper back, only covered by two thin straps. He could see the dull pink line of a scar, something that would definitely fade to white or go away completely over time. "Looks really good," he replied.

"Thanks," she smiled, turning to face him again.

"Physically, at least," he clarified. "How are you doing otherwise?"

He saw her expression falter a bit like it always did when Pfaster was brought up. It was something that affected her on such an intimately personal level that he could tell it was hard for her to deal with. They'd had a few discussions about it, but he knew she was still processing.

"I'm doing fine, all things considered," she answered, looking at the floor. "Let's go in the other room. It's cold in here."

He knew she was going to change the topic, but he wanted to try one last time before letting her deflect. "Is it hard, being here with such awful and controlling men?" He asked, following her into the bedroom.

"If you're asking me if these men remind me of Pfaster, the answer is no," she replied fluffing up the pillow on her side of the bed. "These men are evil because they're entitled and abuse their power and privilege. Pfaster was... different."

"I'm here if you ever need to talk," he replied.

"I know, and I appreciate it," she stated, looking up at him. Her gaze immediately went past him as she took a step to the side. "Mulder look," she said, pointing out the window.

He walked over and saw what she was referring to. Flashlights. _The meeting wasn't called off after all._

"What do you think that means?" Mulder murmured."Whatever it is, I don't think it's good," she sighed.

_9:25 P.M._

"How do we feel about the newcomers?" Victor asked

"He's weak," a hooded man stated.

"His wife is unruly," another added. "She's spoken to me twice now."

"Do you think they'll learn their place?" Victor questioned.

"Maybe with some help."

Victor sighed deeply before taking a long swig of the mixture they'd concocted. "I think they just need a reminder not to bite the hand that feeds."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulder and Scully start to get closer.

_The Thorn Residence_

_Sherman Oaks, California_

_6:45 A.M. Tuesday_

Scully had always been a cuddler during her sleep. It was something she knew about, but, like snoring, had no way of changing. She'd grown accustomed to bringing extra pillows to sleepovers growing up ever since she accidentally woke up cuddling one of her classmates in elementary school. Her boyfriends over the years had found it endearing, some even said sexy, but it no matter what she always felt a flush of embarrassment break out across her cheeks when it happened with a new person.

She'd been so proud of herself when she'd woken up yesterday on her own side of the bed, Mulder on his. Today, however, she did not appear to be so lucky.

Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she tried to orient herself. Her dress had ridden up to her stomach in her sleep, and she would have made a move to push it down if it weren't for the fact Mulder's hand had wandered up it, his hand now resting on her bare upper back.

That was genuinely the least of her concerns as she'd woken up essentially on top of him, straddling one of his strong thighs as his morning wood was stabbing her hip. She was clutching onto him, her face laying on his chest like he was a pillow. She risked a glance and craned her neck up, looking to see if he was awake. She should have known he was still asleep from the controlled, even breaths that were lifting and lowering her whole body, but she still felt relieved when she looked over and saw his eyes were closed, his lips parted slightly as his hair stuck out like someone had rubbed a balloon on him.

She honestly didn't know if there was a way to get out of this without one or both of them being embarrassed. They were both all over each other, but whereas his erection was making itself known, she knew if she moved, there would be a slight wetness on Mulder's thigh, no doubt a physiological response to his proximity during sleep.

The arm that wasn't currently up her dress was gently grabbing her bicep, holding her to him. She'd hugged Mulder before, been pressed up against his body before, but never had they been in a position this intimate. She was struck by how firm his body was, like she was sleeping on pure muscle encased in soft, warm skin. They weren't able to wear any perfume or cologne here, and she couldn't help but let her face fall back against his chest and inhale his scent, so familiar she felt like she was cuddling with a comfort blanket. _Her comfort person._

She decided to just pretend like she was asleep to avoid having to be the one to figure out how to deal with this. However, she didn't have to wait long, she'd closed her eyes for maybe a minute when she felt Mulder's body start to stir. However, every move he made as he started coming into consciousness involved him squirming, moving his legs and inadvertently grinding her sensitive sex against the top of his thigh as he ground his erection against her more and more.

Despite her efforts, she felt her breathing start to become shallow, undoubtedly making her state of consciousness known. She bit her lip, trying to avoid emitting a sound. He accidentally rubbed against her in just the right way to cause her legs to squeeze against his thigh as her hips bucked against his. She felt sweat start to bead at her brow as her arousal began increasing rapidly with every move.

It was the squeezing of her thighs that did it.

She felt Mulder freeze as he became conscious of their situation, his hand turning rigid against her back. Scully felt him slowly start to slide his hand down, likely assuming her to be asleep and trying to detach himself peacefully. However, the sensation of his fingertips grazing her spine, going lower and lower caused her to take a sharp inhalation of breath. His hand stilled and she stopped breathing.

It seemed they both did. The room was deathly silent. No longer was her body being moved up and down with every inhalation and exhalation of his body. They were frozen together, each waiting for the other to move first. In a move braver than she felt she'd ever been, she moved her cheek against his chest, turning to kiss his sternum while ever so slightly shifting the leg that was in between his.

She heard, as much as felt, a groan rumble in his chest. His hand, which had been slightly hovering now planted itself back against her skin, his fingers spreading like a blossom over her tattoo. The hand of hers that was clutching his side started raking over his ribs lightly, just wanting to feel him, to say _I'm here and I'm not running._

He started rubbing circles into the small of her back, presumably wanting to feel skin that was usually off limits just as much as she did. She wasn't sure if he was doing it on purpose, or if he just mindlessly moved his legs, but he pressed against her throbbing core again and she couldn't help the whimper that escaped her lips as she bore down.

"Scully," he whispered breathlessly, reverently.

Giving him a taste of his own medicine, she rocked her hips sensually against his, rubbing herself on his leg at the same time as she was rubbing against his now throbbing erection. Matching her boldness with his own, he let his hand slide down and cup her ass, groping her firmly, encouraging and assisting her movements. She was breathing audibly now, letting her eyes flutter shut as she ground against him, reveling in the way his abdominal muscles clenched against her in his own pleasure. Her clit was throbbing with arousal and she was unrelenting in rocking against him now, not caring when she felt one of the straps of her dress start to fall down.

She almost whined when she felt Mulder start moving, as she was desperate to keep physical contact with him, but the whine turned into a moan as he reached in between their legs, his fingers curling around her inner thigh as he moved her leg so that it was on the other side of him so she was straddling him properly. "M-mulder," she sighed, her back tensing as she felt his erection pump against her crotch.

Mulder propelled his whole body upward, using his hands to keep her pressed to his chest as she was moved into sitting in his lap. Now both straps fell down her arms and the triangle panels covering her breast fell away. "Jesus," he exclaimed shakily as her nipples grazed his chest.

She felt his mouth latch to her neck, placing kiss after kiss leading downwards as they continued squirming against each other. He was almost to her breast when they heard a loud banging on the door downstairs followed by: "Robert, you're late!"

"No," Scully whined in frustration. Why was their timing always so bad?

"Fuck," Mulder groaned, letting his head rest in the crook of her neck.

"Robert, you are to report down here immediately," the booming voice called.

He leaned away from her as she sat back and she realized this was the first time they'd really looked at each other since this started. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were dilated black and filled with desire. His eyes roamed her face, likely finding the same thing. "I'm sorry," she whispered, starting to climb off of him, only for him to grab the back of her neck, whisper ' _don't be'_ and pull her to him, his lips crashing against hers in a passionate kiss.

The incessant knocking on the door broke them apart sooner than either would have wished, but this time Mulder helped her off as he slid off the bed. She couldn't help but let her eyes fall down to the sight of his boxers lewdly tenting away from his body - evidence of his desire for her.

She watched as he slid on his jeans and shirt, giving her one last longing glance before quickly disappearing into the bathroom for a moment to brush his teeth at lightning speed. "I'll be back at lunch, okay?" he called out to her in a husky voice, looking at her as he made his way to the stairs, as if his eyes were drawn to her like a magnet.

"Okay," she nodded, still catching her breath.

He smiled at her before bounding down the stairs. "I'm sorry Vincent, I got a little distracted and lost track of time."

"Learn to keep track, Robert. We provide you with these resources, and we expect you to work in return," the man's voice reprimanded.

She couldn't hear anything after that and, with a sigh, she fell backwards onto the bed. She felt her breasts shift on her chest and she realized with a blush that she hadn't readjusted her dress after they separated. She'd just sat sprawled on the bed with her chest on full display. Well, that explained why Mulder's eyes were glued to her. Rather than feel embarrassed, she felt a smile creep onto her lips.

_They were just heavy petting._

It was juvenile, but thrilling. She knew Mulder found her attractive, but seeing the carnal lust for her in his eyes made butterflies erupt in her stomach.

Maybe they weren't butterflies though.

She clenched her legs together, feeling the dampness of arousal between her thighs as she let one of her hands fall to her breast as the other slid under the elastic of her panties.

Mulder may have been late to work, but she wasn't.

_7:55 A.M._

"Katherine, you're simply glowing," Lorraine beamed as she walked up towards the wash bin, taking the same seat she did yesterday.

"Oh," Scully replied shyly, her face still flushed from her earlier activities. "Thank you."

Scully started getting the clothes ready, luckily no blood to wash this time, and, as she did this, she discreetly looked down the line in search of Rosemary.

In an unexpected turn of events, she saw Rosemary looking more alive than she'd remembered seeing so far. She didn't know if it was from the knowledge her time here was dwindling or something else. As if the woman felt Scully's eyes on her, she looked up and met her gaze with a smile before winking at her.

Scully smiled to herself before glancing around to see who all was there just to familiarize herself a little better. In the distance she saw the kids playing with a kite, apparently not caring that there wasn't even a breeze.

Scully felt her brow furrow when she noticed there was someone markedly absent. "Lorraine, where's Annabelle?"

Lorraine swallowed thickly before turning to her. "Um, as you know, Ed works from home. Um, so he's watching her. She doesn't seem to be getting better."

Scully frowned in concern, illnesses in children were never to be taken lightly. She leaned over a bit closer to her and implored. "I wasn't lying when I said I have pretty extensive medical training. Robert and I also brought a first aid kit with us when we came. I might even have something for her," she said, knowing full well Mulder was picking up the medicine she asked for from the rendezvous point.

Lorraine's face lit up as she turned to her. "I'll take you up on that. I can't tell you how worried we all are."

"Yeah, I know we're not supposed to have favorites, but Annabelle is mine. Heck, she's probably my favorite kid I ever met," Laurie said from Scully's other side. When Scully turned to look at the girl she noticed a few other women had been staring at them from down the line, a few even nodding lightly to themselves. It seemed like Annabelle was important to everyone.

"1408, right?" Lorraine asked.

Scully turned back to her and nodded. "That's right. You can always feel free to come and get me, so you don't have to move Annabelle. Consider me available to you 24/7," she directed with a kind smile.

"Katherine?" someone to the other side of her asked.

Snapping her attention away from Lorraine, she saw an older woman she couldn't remember having talked to yet. "How are you adapting here?" she asked curtly.

"Oh, um," Scully stammered, taken aback by the blunt question. "Good, Lorraine has really been helpful in-"

"No," the woman cut her off. "I mean are you adapting to what's expected of you?"

Scully's mouth gaped open a bit, trying to think of what to say. "I-I think so?"

"Hmm," the woman replied. "I'm not sure you are. Your husband most certainly doesn't seem to be."

"Because he was late?" Scully questioned. "Well I thought one of my duties was to tend to his needs? It's not his fault if I'm thorough," she replied, causing Laurie to giggle while the rest of the women all froze.

The woman stood up suddenly, pointing a finger at Scully in reprimand. "Don't you dare be crude, girl. You already have a reputation. It would be best for you to get your morals in check lest that cross burn through your throat."

Scully stared in shock at this sudden bombardment. "Reputation?" she repeated.

"The men have expressed that you flaunt yourself around them," she sneered.

"I most certainly do not," Scully snapped.

"Well then why have some men reported seeing you in your night dress? Hmm?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Scully vividly recalled Rosemary telling her about some of the women being snitches, and she decided to test her theory. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure I caught your name. Have we-"

"I think she's unruly because her husband is too lenient with her. I mean look, her skin shows she has not been learning her lessons," another nameless woman replied.

Scully's eyes darted to Rosemary in recognition of what she said was true. Some of these women were not letting on who they were affiliated with or even revealing their names. "Are you referring to bruises?"

"I'm referring to character building," the woman snapped.

Scully didn't know what to say in response to that. She'd heard women in situations of domestic violence justifying their abuser's behavior as something they deserved, but she'd never heard of a victim justifying it as a righteous badge of honor. "If your husband cared about your character he wouldn't try to break it with his fist," Scully replied.

There was a silence as she just stared at the woman. Everyone around them had paused, not a hand moved as they watched the interaction.

"So you've answered my question," the woman replied. "You haven't been adjusting well."

The woman sat back down as everyone resumed their washing in silence as Scully wondered how much she just messed up.

_The Thorn Residence_

_Sherman Oaks, California_

_12:03 P.M. Tuesday._

He really messed things up.

Victor could not have made it anymore clear that coming to work on time was an expectation that must be met with no exceptions. Mulder was also given 'compost' duty which involved him having to dig a hole next to the other ones, and, with how some of these men were disdainfully looking at him, he was curious if he was digging his own grave.

He also hadn't realized how much he enjoyed Randy's camaraderie until he wasn't allowed to work with him. Instead, he had to spend the whole day in his grave-digging isolation. The only plus side was that it meant he got to 'take a leak at the tree' without having to explain it to anyone, and he got to think about the best morning of his entire life for five hours straight.

_He'd woken up to Scully grinding against him._

Mulder had initially been positive he was still dreaming, but she was all too real. It was standard frottage, but the fact that it was the furthest he and Scully had ever gone and it was so much further than the New Year's kiss had him reeling. The part that shocked him almost more than anything was how unabashedly into it she was. How she just laid there on the bed, her breasts heaving as she caught her breath, looking at him with such longing that he half wanted to just go back in there until those men dragged him away from her.

Now that he was walking along the road back to see her, he was curious if she would feel the same, or if within these five hours she'd come to the realization that this morning was a mistake and she regretted it.

He felt a knot twist in his stomach at the thought that something that meant so much to him could be a source of regret or shame for her. Bounding up the porch stairs, he watched as she turned around, met his eye and gave him a bashful, but happy smile.

"Hey," he started nervously, letting the door close behind him.

"Hi," she greeted, taking a seat at the dining table.

He walked over and was about to sit down before he decided to push his luck and lean over to kiss her. He foiled his own attempt because as soon as she pressed her lips back in reciprocation, he started smiling against her mouth, breaking the kiss.

She smiled and looked down. Apparently she was trying to figure out how things were changing now too. "So," he started. "What's for lunch?"

"Meatloaf," she replied.

He shoved a forkful into his mouth and, as always, was impressed by Scully's hidden culinary talent. "This is wonderful, Scully," he beamed.

"Thanks," she replied. "How'd it go for you today?"

"Bad. As punishment they banned me from coming to the gathering tonight, so I'm really failing at doing my part of this assignment, being I can't attend one of the biggest things I was supposed to," he explained.

"Well, I'm apparently not holding up to my part either," she sighed.

"What happened to you?" he asked with a mouthful of food.

She started picking at her food and replied, "One of the older women singled me out, essentially saying that I'm a brazen whore and you're a cuck."

His brows furrowed in surprise as he paused with his fork mid-air. "She said that?"

Scully chuckled to herself and clarified, "Maybe not in so many words, but she did say I had a reputation for flaunting myself in front of the men."

He was silent, remembering some of the shitty comments the men had made about her, and apparently his silence was telling.

"Do I?"

"Flaunt yourself?" he asked.

"Have a reputation?"

"I don't know how, if it was Victor or someone else, but someone watched us change and saw your tattoo. That and Jason and Tobe must've told people about you being in your nightgown in front of them," he replied honestly.

"I saw someone watching us from the window when we were getting strip searched, but I didn't know what was happening," she replied.

"Wasn't everyone supposed to be in the Great Hall?" he asked.

She nodded her head as she moved her food around. "I assumed so, but we wouldn't have been able to tell if someone was missing."

"Hm," he mused, before asking. "Other than that, did anything else happen?"

"Annabelle is sick, the little girl," she replied before looking up at him with hope in her eyes. "Did you get the medicine?" she asked.

"Yep," he replied, pulling it out of his pocket and handing it to her.

Scully beamed at him as she looked at the bottle. "This is great. I told Lorraine to stop by anytime if she needed me, so if she shows up that's why."

Mulder hoped that the medicine worked, because this was a little too evocative of another ill little girl for him not to be worried. "Do you think she'll be okay?" he asked.

"I won't know until I see her, and I'm on too thin of ice to go try and check without being invited. Especially since her husband works from home," she said before taking a bite.

"I'm going to call Halloran, okay?" he replied, trying to be mindful of time so there wasn't a repeat of this morning.

She nodded and he walked to the fridge, reaching over it to grab the phone from the cabinet. He pressed redial and he scooted his chair next to Scully's so they could both hear the call.

"Hello?" Halloran asked.

"Hey, it's us. I wanted to let you know we got your delivery," he replied.

"Good, good. I hope whoever it's for starts feeling better," Halloran responded kindly.

"Me too," Scully stated. "I also have an update regarding Rosemary. I've been in contact with her and she plans to write a testimony of her experience for us as well as any crimes she's seen and any names she can remember. I'll have it tonight and Mulder can put it in the tree tomorrow."

Halloran whistled into the phone before declaring, "That would be amazing. Good work, you two. How else are things going?"

"We're having a bit of a hard time fitting in," Mulder admitted. "They also made me dig a grave today."

"What?" Scully and Halloran exclaimed at the same time.

He knew she was going to be upset by that, but he had to say it. "It may not be for me. I don't know what the purpose was, but I have a feeling it can't be good."

"I don't like that," Halloran sighed. "Especially after the way they branded you, Agent Mulder."

"That reminds me," Mulder said slowly, knowing he was about to piss off Scully. "One of the men cornered Scully in the house while I wasn't here. She took care of it, but the attempt was made nonetheless. Whether he was trying to intimidate her or actually try something, the line was crossed." He tried to make sure she knew he was telling Halloran to emphasize the intent of the cultists, not to imply she wasn't defending herself well.

"Are you alright, Agent Scully?" Halloran asked, concern heavy in his tone.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've handled men like that before, he's not as special as he wishes he was," she explained, though, that provided Mulder with absolutely no comfort.

"It sounds like the cultists are acting out against you because you two are different," Halloran theorized. "I don't feel comfortable with you two being defenseless. I'm going to drop off two small guns and some ammo in the trunk of the tree tonight. Do you think you'd be able to pick it up? I don't feel entirely comfortable leaving it there so I want to make sure you get it."

"I could pick it up tonight a little after eight," Mulder stated.

"Perfect, is there anything else you need?" he asked.

They said they didn't and let him off the phone after that. "Looks like we both have an important errand to run tonight," Scully stated, watching him put the phone away.

"Let's hope no wandering eyes are out," he sighed, looking anxiously out the window.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan goes awry and Mulder and Scully have to deal with the consequences.

_Outside the Thorn Residence_

_The Hallowed Compound_

_8:12 P.M. Tuesday_

In theory, it sounded simple: Mulder just had to go to the tree, get the gun, and meet back at the house and Scully had to do the same, only with Rosemary's documents. All of the men, as far as they were aware, should be at the meeting right now, and they were banking on the women being busy with something in their homes. As long as they were careful, they figured they should be okay.

" _If one of us isn't here by nine, call Halloran," he'd implored._

" _What if neither of us are back?" she'd replied._

" _Then we have bigger problems."_

They'd given each other one last fleeting glance before starting off. Mulder unquestionably had to go farther than her, but she was still aggravated at how far away Rosemary's house was. Realistically, it was only about a five minute walk, but when every sound was like a death knell, it felt like an eternity. She decided to prioritize caution over speed, and anytime she felt like she heard something concerning, she'd dip in between the houses, hiding as best she could, until she felt confident again.

_2-5-1-1_

The address was repeating in her head like a mantra with every new step, yet somehow when she finally reached it, she felt more anxiety than relief. Scully looked around and didn't see anyone nearby so she boldly went over to the clothesline and felt around for the right dress, unable to see very well in the dark. Her hand hit something hard and she pulled out what had to have been at least fifteen to twenty pages of writing. _Great job_ , _Rosemary,_ she thought.

Scully deftly lifted her skirt and attempted to tuck the ziploc bag in her underwear so it was flush to her stomach, kept in place by the elastic band and the weight of her dress. She was just turning to leave when she heard the sound of something crashing and she felt the hair on her neck stand up. Shooting her attention to the direction of the clatter, she saw the light on in what she presumed was Rosemary and Jason's bedroom.

Scully stayed still as a statue for a few moments, the cicadas matching time with the beating of her heart. She was just about to move when she heard a choked sob from Rosemary, " _Please, don't_."

Scully felt a sinking in her gut as she heard Jason yelling at her. _Why was he here?_ Her jaw tightened in fury and she knew she had to do something, anything that could help the woman from facing this man's cruelty. She looked around and saw that a tree in between this house and the next had landscaping rocks surrounding the base. Tiptoeing over to the trunk, she bent over and picked up the heaviest one.

Looking back up at the window, she knew she couldn't trust her aim to go that far. _She just needed to try and get his attention away from her_. She quickly glanced around, making sure she would be able to make a quick getaway. Then, turning back around, with all the might she had, she hurled the rock through Jason and Rosemary's kitchen window, shattering the glass into tiny shards.

"What the fuck was that?" Jason's voice roared before she could hear him moving about the home, his footsteps thunderous even from outside.

Not wanting to get caught, she turned and started running back towards her and Mulder's house, trying to make sure she was landing on the balls of her feet in an attempt to be quiet. Rosemary's Ziploc bag was tickling the skin of her stomach, making a plastic crinkling noise with the twisting of her body. She placed her hand on her abdomen, hoping to stifle the sound when she thought she heard something.

Scully quickly turned in between two random houses and leaned down into a bush, trying to gather her bearings to hear if people were coming out of their houses because of the sound and not wanting to be caught in the middle of something. She put a hand over her mouth and tried to calm her breathing.

She saw a man emerge around the corner she'd just turned, but it was too dark for her to tell immediately from this distance, but then she saw him come into vision as she heard a gentle, familiar voice whisper, "Katherine."

Mulder jumped in surprise as she stood up from her place in the bushes about ten feet away from him, near the backyards of the houses. "Robert," she whispered back breathily, stepping out onto the grass in between the two houses. "I'm so glad to see you."

"Hello, Katherine," a deep voice replied from behind her.

She whipped around and was met with the sight of Victor standing right behind her.

Then there was only pain.

_8:22 P.M._

The man backhanded her mouth and it sounded as harsh as a crack of a whip against the night. Mulder froze in disbelief, and before either of them had a chance to process what just occurred, Victor cruelly wrapped his fingers around Scully's bicep and pulled her to him. "You are _not_ to speak unless spoken to and _never_ outside the home especially when you aren't supposed to be out. You know that, Katherine," he growled, leaning down into her personal space while shaking her forcefully.

Scully's shoulders curved slightly as she curled into herself, trying to protect herself from any further abuse while not aggravating him further, and it was the sound of her involuntary whimper that snapped Mulder out of his pure shock. White hot rage flared inside of him at the man and he stomped forward, putting his hand on Victor's chest while grabbing Scully with the other. "Victor, it is my job to discipline my wife. I never want to see you lay your hands on her again," he seethed, drawing Scully against his chest protectively as they took a step back from the fuming man.

Scully was tense from pain and was covering her mouth with her hands with her eyes squeezed shut, presumably in an attempt to suppress the pain from the blow. There hadn't been any time for him to prevent it, but the knowledge this much larger man struck her right in front of him made him sick to his stomach.

"That's the problem with you, Robert," Victor retorted, putting his fists on his hips while glaring at the pair.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mulder replied defensively.

"She's insubordinate. It's clear to everyone in the Hallowed that you aren't punishing her unruly nature. She looks men in the eyes, she walks with her head raised, and she has the gall to speak freely outside the home. You aren't putting her in her place," he explained.

"I handle her how I see fit. I don't tell you what to do with Sally," Mulder replied.

Mulder had been soothingly rubbing Scully's back until he saw the man catch sight of the motion, stilling it in place. "Sally knows better than to behave the way your wife does. If she didn't, she'd be too sore to even leave the house," he spat.

"My wife is none of your concern," Mulder stated firmly.

"Any female who doesn't know her place is my concern. It reflects poorly on the Hallowed."

"I'll take care of her," Mulder sighed, just wanting to get her inside and away from this madman.

"Then show me," he demanded.

"Excuse me?" Mulder asked incredulously.

"Show me how you discipline her."

The tension was palpable between the two men and Mulder knew he'd have to navigate himself out of this carefully. He would rather cut off his hands than lay one on Scully, let alone in front of the crazed man. "You hit her good. I think she's learned her lesson tonight."

"That's right. _I_ taught her a lesson, but I'm not the concern. You are," he stated cooly. Mulder felt his stomach start to churn. He didn't anticipate this would be something that would blow their cover. Scully was still curved into his side, her body rigid like stone while she tucked her head into his shirt. The thought of pulling her away from the safety of his arms only to hurt her made bile rise in his throat.

He would rather die. Undercover operation be damned. They had enough to expose this place, and Mulder had the upper hand of having a weapon now. He was not going to risk Scully's safety.

The only person he was going to be hitting was the man standing in front of him.

"Victor, I-" he started.

A loud crash broke the tension and caused Victor to turn around. One of the farm hands had been carrying a bundle of firewood, only to trip on his own feet, sending all the wood and his body tumbling to the ground. He turned around with a scowl and replied, "I have to go help Chuck. Heed my warning, Robert. Keep her in line." He walked off to go help the kid and Mulder and Scully were stuck there in awe of how he could go from commanding him to hit her to being a good neighbor in all of one minute.

"Let's talk inside," he whispered into her hair, his lips barely moving. He wanted to know if she was okay, but, more than anything, he wanted to get them safe in their own house.

They walked briskly side by side, but he noticed Scully was looking at the ground the entire time, presumably as a result of Victor's criticism, so all he could see was her hair shining in the moonlight.

When they got inside safely, he flicked on the light and turned to her. "Scully, I am so sorry," he lamented, pulling her to a chair to sit down.

"It's not your fault, Mulder. I should have just swallowed my pride and fit in," she murmured behind her hand.

He pulled up a chair and sat in front of her. "Can I see?" he asked softly, touching her wrist. She met his eyes, watching his reaction as she lowered her hand.

Her bottom lip was split, a bit of blood gathering at the corner of her mouth, and he could already see a bruise forming on her jaw. "Scully," he exhaled in grief, raising his hand and gently wiping the blood away.

"I've had worse workplace injuries," she reassured with a weak smile, though that sentiment only made him feel even sadder.

"I'm going to get you a damp washcloth, okay?" he replied.

Unexpectedly, she responded with, "Can you grab me one of the bibles from the living room?"

"Uh, okay," he responded, quickly grabbing it and handing it to her before grabbing a towel and wetting it in the sink.

Even over the roar of the faucet, he could hear her flipping pages at a rapid rate. "What are you looking for?" he asked, shutting the sink off before sitting in the chair next to her. He raised his hands, cupping her jaw delicately with one hand while he gently tried to soothe and clean the wound.

She hissed with a sharp intake of breath and smiled weakly as he apologized. "Has anyone told you about the house numbers?"

"No, but I keep getting lost," he replied, trying to dampen his frustration that she was so absorbed in this instead of processing what just happened to her.

"They're bible verses," she explained before wincing.

"Sorry," he murmured, using his pinky finger to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Our house and Randy and Laurie's are passages dealing with blind devotion and self-sacrifice for the greater good. I'm just wondering if there might be something more to it. Rosemary's is familiar, but I just can't remember," she explained.

The mentioning of the woman reminded him of why this all happened in the first place. "Were you able to get her written statement?"

Scully nodded, putting her hand under her dress and pulling out the gallon-sized Ziploc filled with what looked like at least fifteen pages of writing, discarding it on the table in favor of the bible in her hands. "I found it," she whispered, "Deuteronomy 25:11"

He watched her eyes move back and forth on the page, her mouth setting into a thin line the lower her eyes got on the page. "So what is it?" he asked.

"When men fight with one another and the wife of the one draws near to rescue her husband from the hand of him who is beating him and puts out her hand and seizes him by the private parts, then you shall cut off her hand. Your eye shall have no pity," she repeated with a low sigh. "They gave her to Jason as a punishment."

She wiped a hand across her face, mindful of her injury, before letting her head fall back. "I think I messed up, Mulder," she whispered.

"What do you mean?" he asked in confusion.

"I heard her getting upset and I threw a rock through the window because I was scared of what Jason was doing to her," she admitted. "What if he takes out his anger about the window on her? I might have just made things so much worse for her," she added, her breath hitching.

Mulder felt his heart go out to her. He knew she didn't like it when he psychoanalyzed her, but he could tell Scully went into this wanting to save every woman from her oppression, but she was facing systematic misogyny, not just a few shitty men. It was an undertaking that was threatening to break her spirit. "Scully," he started, lifting up the Ziploc bag. "Look at what you've done for her with just this. You can't be sure tonight will be any worse for her than it may have been otherwise, but you can be sure that all the nights in the future after we get out of here will be with the man she loves. You're saving her in the long run even if it doesn't feel good now."

She looked defeated, but nodded at his point nonetheless. "It's unfair to yourself to take the blame for what that man does."

"I know," she nodded. "I just want to shut this place down."

"And we will, okay? Soon too, we have plenty of evidence. We just need to start solidifying a plan with Halloran, so that Victor doesn't suspect anything and pull a Waco or Jonestown upon feeling a threat."

Scully nodded again before standing up. "Thanks for cleaning me up," she whispered softly. "I'm going to get ready for bed. I'll meet you upstairs okay?"

"Okay," he replied softly, watching her retreat to their bedroom. He hated it when Scully felt guilty. He truly didn't know Catholic Guilt had been such a real thing until meeting her. She had just been starting to feel better from the Pfaster incident last month too, but now he could see that same sense of helpless guilt taking residence in her heart again.

With a sigh, he cleaned up the kitchen, making sure the doors were all locked before taking his turn in the bathroom. He slipped into some clean boxers, brushed his teeth, and made his way to their bed, only to be met with Scully sitting on the edge, waiting for him.

"Are you okay?" he prompted, walking closer to her.

"I need to ask you a favor, but I don't think you're going to like it," she started shyly.

After what she just went through, he would give her the world if she asked. "Anything," he replied.

Taking a deep breath before asking, she exhaled and started playing with her nails. "Mulder, I need bruises," she stated tentatively.

A sinking feeling started in his guilt and he swallowed nervously. "What do you mean?"

"All the women have at least a couple bruises on them. They even made comments about it earlier, I think it's preventing them from opening up to me. Like I'm not one of them. And now with Victor on edge, it's a target on us," she explained.

He was quiet for a minute, digesting her words. "I'm not going to hit you, Scully," he murmured softly. "I can't. I won't."

"You don't have to," she replied with the shake of her head, shifting herself up higher. "Bruises are just broken capillaries, pressure could cause them."

"I don't want to hurt you," he lamented, distress evident in his tone.

She raised one of her hands and grabbed his hand, stroking the skin on the back of his hand softly. "You won't," she reassured. "But if we don't do this, someone else will."

The image of her tiny frame staggering after being hit by that brute flashed in his mind and a new wave of fury came over him. She was so small. He knew she would hate it if he said it out loud, but she was diminutive when standing next to anyone. It didn't mean she wasn't powerful, but it did mean she had to fight harder than most people. Now they were settled in a community where she wasn't allowed easy access to her usual tools of defense while surrounded by dangerous men who had little regard for women, and he wasn't sure what could happen to her when she was out of his sight. He would do whatever it took to prevent anything else from happening. "What do you need me to do?" he asked in defeat.

She withdrew her hand into her lap and pursed her lips. "The most common thing I saw was bruises on their wrists, as if they were grabbed or pinned down."

An uneasy feeling washed over him as he thought of all the women he'd met over the past few days. "Do you think they're being raped?" he asked.

She met his eye and nodded once sharply, definitively. "Maybe not all, but I would guess most. Most couples didn't come in together like us, they were arranged by the Hallowed. Besides, it's not all that uncommon, marital rape was only outlawed in the United States in '93 and my standards for a cult laden with criminals are far lower."

He wiped his hands across his face, irritated at the entire situation as he heard Scully shifting herself fully onto the bed, her back flush against the mattress as she bracketed her head with her arms. He watched her for a moment, unsure of what she was implying. "What're you doing?" he prompted.

Scully looked over at him, her body remaining in place. "Pin me down," she stated.

Uneasiness settled in his gut and he started shaking his head, "Scully, no-"

"It'll be one of the easiest ways," she interrupted.

He didn't like the idea of him looming over her and hurting her wrists after what she'd just said about what the other women were going through. "Do you have to lie down?" he asked.

"Not technically," she answered. "But if we do it your way, you'll have to bruise me by squeezing my wrists as hard as you can. If you do it my way, you'll just have to squeeze while putting your weight on me and the pressure alone will work."

He pictured the alternative and his mind was instantly made up. "Okay," he sighed, easing himself over her, straddling her waist with his legs as he grabbed her wrists in his hands, feeling her delicate bones under his palms as he pressed them into the mattress. He leaned forward and put his weight in his hands, clenching his jaw as he saw the mattress dip.

Scully shifted beneath him, her hips rubbing against his inner thighs, and it drew his attention down to her face. If she was uncomfortable, she wasn't letting on at all. She was just staring up at him like nothing was out of the ordinary, her hair fanning out on the pillow innocently.

_Of all the times he imagined them in a position like this._

"Are you okay?" he asked, breaking the silence.

Her tongue poked out towards the corner of her mouth to lick her wound. "Yeah," she murmured with a nod. "You should press down harder."

Swallowing thickly, he squeezed tighter and eased himself so more of his weight was pressing onto her wrists. He could see his fingers digging into her and the skin around where they touched turning white in protest. "Does it hurt?"

"Not really," she replied, looking at his shirt instead of his face. "I'm going to press back and move a bit, like I'm resisting just to help add friction. Don't let up, okay?"

He didn't say anything and she took that as a sign to continue. Scully started twisting her wrists around in his hands, trying to pull her arms down and away from him. She continued struggling like that for a while, occasionally struggling hard enough that her back arched and her chest brushed against his. She was resisting with her full power, and it wasn't even enough to knock him off slightly. His hands wrapped around her wrists without any effort and nothing she was doing was loosening his grip.

He wasn't anywhere near the strongest man here.

Even though her face never faltered from a mask of intense concentration, in his mind he couldn't help but see it contort into pain. He was bombarded by the image of Scully writhing underneath someone pinning her down, her struggling to regain power against someone physically stronger than her, of her squirming in pain as they took advantage of her. He couldn't take it anymore.

He let go of her like she was on fire and sat back on his calves, barely any pressure resting on her hips. "I can't do this," he gasped, his hands flying to his face as he tried to wipe the thoughts out of his mind. "I'm sorry."

She scooted underneath him a bit, so that he was sitting over her legs as she sat up and put her hands on his biceps. "Mulder, it's okay," she soothed, rubbing up and down his arms.

"No, it's not, Scully!" he proclaimed. "A man _hit_ you tonight. In front of me no less. What if someone gets mad at you and I'm not there? What if Tobe comes back? What do you think might happen then? Men here assault their wives in the name of punishment for fucks sake," he seethed, his anger at the situation coming out at her.

He ran his hand across his forehead, trying to calm down when he felt her grab his wrist gently, tugging at him to pull his hand away from his face. When he did, he was met with an expression of pure compassion and empathy. "Now do you understand how I feel about the thought of you having to go to one of those damn meetings?" she asked, her other hand wrapped behind him, her finger gently touching his initiation mark.

He raised a hand and stroked her hair, tucking a loose strand behind her ear while his hand lingered at her jaw. "I just want to keep you safe," he whispered.

"By doing this you are," she whispered. "I'm sorry it's hard, but I can't do it alone."

"W-what else do you need me to do," he whispered in defeat. "Where else do you need bruises?"

"Anywhere visible," she answered softly.

He looked over at her sitting in her soft cotton nightgown and tried to envision what would be best. Her arms, neck, collarbone , and face were really the only places visible. The legs didn't seem worthwhile since he didn't want to accidentally hurt her and make it harder for her to run. Her face was covered thanks to Victor. "Can we do the same thing with your upper arms?" he sighed.

Nodding, happy he was conceding to her plan, she laid back down. "Good idea," she replied, and he knew she was just placating him to make him feel better.

"Tell me when to stop, okay?" he replied, grabbing her just above the bends of her elbows.

"Okay," she whispered, watching his face intently as he began to press his weight down onto her, his fingers curving into the delicate flesh of her arms.

He wasn't sure where to look. Looking at her face just made him feel bad, he didn't want to seem like he was leering at her by staring at her chest, so he decided to look at the pillow next to her. Mulder just wished there was something they could do instead of this. The thought that she would be walking around the next few days with bruises caused by him made him want to crawl into a hole, despite the circumstances. She took a deep breath and his eyes were drawn to her neck, the gold cross laying in the hollow of her throat.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked, glancing up to her face. Her eyes looked dilated as she shook her head softly.

"Never," she replied, her voice breathier than normal.

Despite the undertones of what they were doing, he couldn't help but be reminded of this morning. That was undoubtedly crossing the line of platonic partners. If they hadn't been interrupted, he was almost certain they would have crossed another line: one they'd been toeing for so long. They'd almost let the seven years of sexual tension and mutual longing come to fruition.

He watched her pulse with fascination, fluttering against the delicate area of her neck like a hummingbird - the tendon of her neck moving under her skin. An idea struck him, and he couldn't help but think it sounded a lot better than pressing his weight onto her like this. "Broken capillaries, right, Scully?" he asked.

She turned back to look at him and nodded, her hair scratching against the pillow below her. "Yeah, why?"

Shifting his hips a bit he prompted, "I have an idea. Do you trust me?"

"Always," she murmured sincerely.

He half wondered if she shouldn't. He wondered if his rational brain was receding, instead being taken over by the part of him that couldn't resist touching her, drunk from the smell of her skin, lulled by the thrumming of her pulse - couldn't resist his instinct to soothe her pain with his tongue, lick her wounds until affection covered mistreatment. "If I make you uncomfortable, let me know," he rasped before leaning down and latching his mouth to her neck.

He felt her gasp as the lungful of air caused her chest to brush against his, but he just kept at it, applying a firm suction. He remembered the highschool days of bold hickeys used as territorial markings, they looked like bruises and he was hoping with enough care he could emulate that on her. There was no way in hell he was going to choke her, so hopefully this would suffice.

"G-good idea," she stammered, her voice quivering. Her breath shuddered and he felt it under his tongue.

He opened his lips a bit more against her skin before re-latching onto her, his fingers moving a little lower on her arms. She'd stopped moving like she had been earlier and just laid there under him, pliant to his touch. From his position buried in the crook of her neck, he could smell her hair, taste a hint of sweat, he was enraptured by her.

The sheets ruffling beneath her head sounded deafening in the cove of her neck he'd settled himself in. She bent her arms, elbows still on the bed as her hands wrapped around his arms, keeping him on top of her. He felt her thumbs stroke his skin softly, tenderly as if she was reverent.

He moved his mouth from where neck and shoulder met to the elegant curve of her jawbone, his cock twitching as she inhaled a sharp breath. He was holding his hips above her as he leaned on his knees, careful to leave space in between his groin and hers, and for that he was grateful, because otherwise he'd be currently stabbing her.

The sound of her heavy breathing echoed against the walls of the room. He lifted his mouth, noting the way her skin was glistening in the moonlight from his saliva. Instead of giving him time to latch onto a new area, her face turned towards his and her parted lips slid against his own. She closed her mouth against his slightly, making her intentions clear.

Scully was kissing him. Properly kissing him.

His hand slid to the nape of her neck to cradle the base of her skull, melting into her kiss. Mulder felt her hand roam up his back as she laid the other across his neck, dragging him down so their chests were pressed together, causing his erection to press into her thigh.

The sensation caused her to gasp and buck her hips against him. He moaned into her mouth and slid his tongue out to meet hers. They'd only deepened the kiss for a moment when he tasted copper and the events of the night came crashing down around him. The dream they'd created shattered as he remembered what they'd been doing and why they'd been doing it in the first place.

He leaned away from her and sat back onto his calves, trying to distance himself. "I'm sorry," he exhaled, trying to catch the breath she'd stolen from his lungs.

"I'm not," she panted, easing herself up onto her elbows to look at him, her nightgown bundled at her hips.

There was a hunger in her eyes he'd never seen before. The dribble of blood trickling down her chin served to make her look primal, like a lioness in the midst of a feast.

If only he could focus on that instead of what it really was.

"I'm a woman, not a crime scene, Mulder," she stated calmly.

"What?" He asked, unsure of what she meant.

"Ever since we got back, when you look at me I can tell you're thinking of what he did. You're thinking of me in that moment," she explained. "A bad thing happened to me. That doesn't mean I'm made of glass."

"I should've-"

" _I_ should have swallowed my pride, Mulder. But ultimately it doesn't matter because we're in a place that hates women. It doesn't matter what I do, or what you do, I have a target on my back for simply existing," she interrupted, sitting up which caused one of the thin straps of her gown to slide off her shoulder.

"You said it yourself, we're battling something bigger than a few bad men. To blame ourselves in retrospect is only going to make us feel bad about things we can't change," she added.

He nodded, agreeing with her before murmuring, "But you're hurt, and I was-"

"You were reciprocating something _I_ instigated, Mulder," she replied, putting one leg on either side of his own so she was sitting in his lap, resuming where they'd left off that morning. She wrapped her arms around his neck for balance as she looked at him with so much compassion in her eyes it was overwhelming.

He placed his hands on her back, causing a small smile to quirk her lips. "I think it's sweet you're concerned about me, but please trust my own judgement about what I am or am not comfortable with. I trust you when you say you'll stop if I ask. I need you to trust me that I'll ask if I need to," she whispered, running her nails against the base of his scalp.

"You're right," he nodded, rubbing his thumbs against the bare skin of her back.

"I could get used to hearing that," she murmured, leaning closer until their lips were touching.

Even with their actions this morning still in mind, he barely could believe this was actually happening. Scully was currently sitting in his lap, grinding on him while kissing him. He felt the silk of her dress pressing against his chest before, just as earlier, the straps slid down her shoulders, making his chest the only thing keeping the garment up.

He rocked forward, so that she was on her back and he was looming over her, a breathy laugh breaking their kiss. "Have I told you how sexy you look in this dress?" he asked, kissing her collarbone.

"I saw it in the way you looked at me," she murmured, arching her back to give him easier access to her chest.

He glanced at her for permission as he slid his fingers under the straps, waiting for a nod before he slid the garment down, helping her slide out of it until she was just in her underwear. Her chest was flushed from attention, and from the parting of her legs, he could see a damp spot on the crotch of her underwear. "Jesus," he murmured before nestling into the cradle of her thighs.

Her breasts were full and heavy against her chest as he let his mouth move against her, reveling in the anticipatory breaths she was emitting before taking a rosy bud into his mouth, flicking his tongue back and forth over her nipple. "Oh my god," she gasped, shifting her body against his.

This was better. This was what he wanted, to make her feel good. She was surprisingly responsive to his touch, far more sensitive than he'd anticipated her being, and it drove him crazy. He took a break from going from one breast to the other, pausing to place an open mouthed kiss to her sternum and smiling as he felt her heartbeat flutter like a hummingbird in her chest. He glanced up at her, making sure he wasn't moving too fast, and his cock stirred upon seeing that she was looking at him - enthralled by the sight of him doing this to her. Her eyes were hooded with lust as she licked her lips, smiling at him as if to say _don't stop._

He moved onto the other nipple and couldn't help but start rocking against her as she undulated her hips underneath him, rubbing herself against his throbbing erection.

Her breathing was audible in the room as he continued worshipping her breasts. When he needed a break from her wriggling underneath him, lest this end far too early, he started scooting lower on the bed, taking his oral tour of her body further south. Mulder kissed his way from sternum to belly button, taking an extra stop to circle his tongue around the gold hoop, causing her to laugh.

Her laughter slipped into gasps as he continued further down, licking the skin above the elastic waistband. He looked up once more and was yet again met with her aquamarine stare. Before he even had a chance to ask, she breathily pled, "P-please."

Without a second's pause, he slid the underwear down her legs, not caring where they landed, before wrapping his arms around her parted thighs, pulling her towards him so that her entire body slid down the bed.

He took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the sight before him. Her lips were swollen and pink, and if that weren't evidence enough of her arousal, she was so wet he could see the glistening on her inner thighs. Looking up at her, he blew a steady stream of cool air onto her sex and smiled when her whole body lurched towards him, constrained by the grip of his arms. She let out a little whine of aggravation, and he decided to put her out of her misery, licking up her slit once with the flat of his tongue before latching onto her clit.

"Oh my god," she moaned, rolling her hips against his face.

He stopped sucking for a moment to place a kiss on her clit, grateful he was even allowed to be there. He moved one hand from curling against her inner thigh and moved it so his fingers were splayed against the flat of her stomach, feeling the sensation of her abdominal muscles clenching in response to his ministrations.

She was creamy and warm against his tongue, her arousal already so prominent that it caused him to feel more pride than he ever had in his entire life. "Muh-Mulder," she breathed, her hands taking up residence in his hair, her nails raking sensuously against his scalp.

He plunged his tongue into her, curving the tip upward to stroke her walls before returning to her sensitive bundle of nerves. Mulder danced between those two areas, working her up until she was practically whining and quivering under his mouth. She was close and, honestly, so was he.

The sounds of her pleasure were driving him insane and he was mindlessly rocking his hips against the bed, desperate to relieve the overwhelming tension in his groin. "D-don't stop," she begged, her back arching in a desperate attempt to press against him.

Stopping was the last thing he could ever imagine doing in this moment. He'd dreamt of this for more years that he cared to admit. This was like living in a fantasy - no longer did he have to imagine what she'd sound like, what she'd taste like, how she'd respond to this or that, now he felt like the luckiest man in the world.

With one purposeful flick of his tongue, she was unraveling in his arms.

"Mulder!" she gasped, her legs shaking on either side of his head. He felt a surge of arousal coat his tongue and he just kept applying suction, wanting her to ride out her orgasm for as long as possible. He felt her tap his head lightly and he took it as a sign to let go of her.

He looked up, resting his glistening chin on Scully's pubic mons as he locked eyes with her. She looked sated, her lips swollen from being bitten, and her chest heaving to catch her breath.

"You're so beautiful, Scully," he murmured, licking his lips to savor her.

Her eyes darted down to the sight and he saw her begin to gnaw on her bottom lip again. "I want you," she whispered.

She could have him, all of him, with everything he had to give.

He was hers. Always was.

He climbed up her body, shivering when he felt her delicate hands tug his waistband down. Mulder helped her by kicking off the garment, his erection bobbing against her stomach and leaving a trail of precum in his wake. Mulder watched as she looked down, seeing him exposed in this state for the first time. He felt a sense of self conscious vulnerability swell in his chest before he watched a pleased smile grace her lips as he felt her take his length in her hand.

Mulder's eyes fluttered shut as she explored him, her hand roaming every vein and ridge of his cock. Her hand went to his crest and she let her thumb tease him. He shivered as he felt Scully bend her leg so that her inner thigh slickly slid against his hip as she lined him up with her entrance, pressing his sensitive head in between her folds and sliding him up and down - coating him in her arousal as she brushed him against her clit.

The sensation caused them both to shudder as they locked eyes.

_This was really happening._

She let go of him and placed her hand on his neck, rubbing his skin gently with her thumb. Her eyes held so much emotion, he felt lost in them. _Desire, affection, longing, -dare he say- love._ Mulder bent down and pressed a kiss to her mouth, being mindful of her injury.

Where he was gentle, she met him with intensity, pushing back against him so hard that he was certain his lips were going to be bruised. Her tongue slid against his, taking the reins as she rolled her hips upwards, grinding her sex against his.

Mulder pulled back for a moment, grabbing himself in his hands and whispering, "Are you ready?"

"Mulder, I need you," she plead in a shaky voice.

Upon her words, he lowered himself against her, sinking deeper at a tortuously slow pace so she could have time to adjust. Slow, however, seemed to be the last thing Scully had in mind. She raised her hips upwards once more, sheathing his entire length inside of her in one thrust. A deep, guttural moan tore from his throat. _He was inside of Scully._ She gasped in turn and he had to avoid quickly pulling out. "Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded her head, smiling up at him. "Yes," she rasped, hooking a leg across his lower back to encourage him. He started pumping his hips against her, his eyes nearly rolling into the back of his head at the way her walls clung to him like a vise grip. She was so hot and wet, he couldn't remember the last time he'd ever felt so good. "S-scully," he praised, placing wet kisses against her jaw.

"Let me up," she whispered.

He pulled away immediately, sliding out of her in concern only for her to push him on his back, straddling his hips while looking down at him with so much desire that he could have come on the spot. She grabbed his length, stroking him firmly as she lined them back up. She sank down to the hilt before rocking against him. His cock bottoming out inside of her as she splayed her hands on his chest.

Mulder was weak to her will, enamoured and captivated by the woman above him. He never knew how to imagine Scully in bed. _Quiet? Reserved? Loud? Bossy?_

Now he knew: _Powerful and sensual._

She smiled at him, an open-mouthed, toothy smile of pleasure before leaning down and kissing him. He slid his tongue against hers as she deepened the kiss, the movement a little jarring as the momentum of their bodies colliding thrusted them against each other.

Scully leaned back and put her hands back on his abdomen, lifting and lowering herself on his length. Scully was in charge, she was in control, and it was beyond sexy.

_God how he loves her._

He let his hands slide up her sides, one hand resting on her hip while the other reached up to cup a breast, pinching her nipple. She let out a little whine as she leaned her weight forward, trusting him to support her. She started getting a bit more frenzied with her movements, oftentimes fully impaling herself on his cock and then grinding down onto him, their groins touching intimately in every way possible.

Knowing he wasn't going to be able to take this much longer, but wanting her to finish again, he let the hand on her hip slide down so he could rub her swollen clit with his thumb. She started squirming erratically, her breath catching in her throat as moans fell from her lips incrementally. "Scully," he groaned, rocking his hips upwards to meet her thrusts.

His saying her name seemed to set her off because upon hearing it, her whole body froze - her head tilted back as her mouth dropped open in silent ecstasy. Then, she let her head loll forward to lock eyes with him. She was panting, rocking against him as she let her orgasm wash over her.

She _wanted_ him to watch.

That was all it took for him before he was throbbing inside of her, spurting into her while they squirmed against each other, connecting in every way humanly possible. After a moment, when their orgasms subsided, Scully leaned over and draped herself over him like a blanket.

Mulder felt himself softening inside of her, their mixed arousals starting to slide out of her and pool on his pubic mound. He wrapped his arms around her bare back, rubbing circles into her skin as her breathing started to even out.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He almost couldn't believe his ears. "I should be the one saying that to you," he replied in earnest.

She eased herself up a bit, just so she could look at him. "No, I mean it. Thank you for letting me have control," she admitted, her vulnerability making his heart ache.

She'd spent the past few days being objectified by the scum of the earth, made to feel like she was less than, and had her bodily autonomy violated. _She just wanted to feel like she had some power._

He shifted his hands so that he was cupping her face, gently brushing back some of her mussed hair. "You mean everything to me," he admitted, wanting to let her in on just how much power she had over him. "You _are_ my everything."

She smiled at him, leaning down and whispered, " _And you are mine,"_ before pressing another sweet kiss to his lips.


	9. Chapter 9

_The Thorn Residence_

_The Hallowed Compound_

_6:20 A.M. Wednesday_

Sometimes, in moments of self-indulgence, she allowed herself to imagine what this would be like. Scully had fantasized about what it would be like to give herself to Mulder in the only way she hadn't yet - how he would fit inside her, what his moans would sound like in her ear, how it would be the best thing she's ever experienced. But she could dispel all of that as a carnal yearning, a result of too much time spent in close proximity with a handsome man.

However, in her most intimate, vulnerable moments, she allowed herself to imagine this moment. The _after_. It was always harder to dismiss. She'd come to accept it as they got closer, the thought of them becoming partners in every sense of the word slowly becoming an inevitability rather than a midnight dream. But back in the day, imagining Mulder cuddling her the morning after having sex felt too intimate - too much like she was yearning for a relationship she'd sanctioned as forbidden. More recently, it had become almost as integral as the sex fantasy. She'd imagine the look of sated pleasure in his eyes, the way he'd still be drunk off their passion so much so that he may instigate a round two. Sometimes she imagined there would be a shyness, a look in his eyes practically begging her to tell him this was alright, that it wasn't a one-night indulgence.

She did not imagine a look of guilt being the first thing she saw.

But that was exactly what she was met with. She felt a feather-light touch brush across her wrist, and a smile came to her lips immediately as memories of the night before flooded her mind. However, when her eyes fluttered open, adapting to the morning light, the first thing she was met with was the sight of Mulder's all too familiar face of guilt.

"Wha-'s wrong?" she murmured groggily, easing up as she tried to wipe the sleep from her eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up," he murmured, his voice husky from exhaustion. If it weren't for the concerning look in his eyes, the sound alone would have tightened the coil in her gut.

"Are you okay?" she asked, suppressing a yawn.

"Yeah, I'm sorry," he replied, sitting up with her. Then, grabbing one of her wrists, he gently pulled it for her to see. It was mottled with dark purple blotches, he wrapped his hand around her wrist, and the marks matched up with his fingers perfectly.

She looked from their hands to his face and saw his brows were furrowed again. "I know this is what we were aiming for, but I still hate seeing it."

The tension she'd felt upon waking up dissipated as she realized his guilt was not about them having sex, but rather, at seeing the marks he'd left on her. "If it makes you feel any better, I bruise really easily. The wind could blow too hard and I'd have a welt," she explained with a small laugh, hoping to make him feel better.

He said nothing. Instead, he drew her wrist to his lips and pressed a tender kiss to her skin. She wondered if he could feel her heartbeat speed up through the pulse point he was kissing. Scully couldn't help but smile at how ridiculous she was being. They'd just made love, her thighs still aching as a gentle reminder, and here she was reacting to his simple kiss like a schoolgirl.

"Does it hurt?" he murmured against the skin of her wrist.

"No," she whispered.

He put that hand down as he picked up her other wrist, repeating the action along the manacle of bruising. "What about this side?"

She shook her head, not trusting her voice. He looked up, not having seen it and she licked her lips and released a breathy, "No."

He set that wrist down before cupping her jaw, his thumb delicately stroking her jaw. "What about here?" he asked.

She licked her lips before teasingly murmuring, "If I say yes, will you kiss it better?"

He smiled as he leaned forward, whispering, "I'll do it either way." His mouth met hers and she resisted the urge to wince, not wanting him to back away though the corner of her mouth was sore. In traditional Mulder fashion, he must've been able to tell, because he let up a bit, instead, sucking her bottom lip in between his and stroking it sensuously with his tongue. She gasped lightly, causing him to laugh and release her, choosing instead to place feather-light kisses all over her mouth and jaw.

Scully tried to pucker and reciprocate, desperately wanting to connect her mouth fully to his, but each time he would tease her by leaning back and kissing a different spot on her.

He leaned back and her eyes fluttered open to see he was staring at her with a small smile. "The hickeys worked out," he murmured, grazing the bare skin of her neck with the back of his index finger.

She didn't say anything, instead, choosing to drink in the sight of a nude Mulder bathed in the dawn light. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, for what she assumed wouldn't be the last time today.

Her eyes flicked up to meet his gaze and she leaned forward and kissed him, unable to resist. "Yes," she whispered, leaning back. "My jaw hurts, but it's more of a discomfort than pain. My thighs are a little sore, but that's a good sore," she replied with a smirk.

Mulder's mouth puckered to the side, as it sometimes did when he was contemplating if he would say something, and she just waited as he gathered his thoughts. "W-when I imagined what it would be like for us-"

"Our first time?" she clarified.

He smirked and nodded, "Yeah. I, um, I imagined it under very different circumstances, but I just-." He paused, taking a deep breath. It was unlike them to be so upfront, but the fact he was powering through his discomfort meant it was something he really must want to say. Or maybe this openness was a side effect of their new intimacy. "I want you to know that it wasn't just me trying to comfort you in the moment. I mean, it was but,"

_But it was because he loves her._

He was having a hard time saying the words, but she knew that's what he meant. She didn't want him to think she'd just used him to feel better either, feeling better was just a consequence of being with him in that way. She cupped her hand on his jaw, halting his stammering. "I know," she whispered before adding, "Me too."

He smiled and nuzzled into her hand, turning so he could kiss her palm. "I wish we weren't here," he admitted, the words muffled against her skin.

She knew what he meant. Scully wanted nothing more than to process the step they've taken. To maybe have a moment to herself, to get used to being Scully-who's-had-sex-with-Mulder and learn what that meant for her. She wanted to lay in bed with him all day if she so wished. She didn't want to go out into a community where she had to act like the first time they'd ever been intimate had been an act of cruelty, but that was what she was going to have to do.

"Me either," she admitted. Then turning to him she implored, "But we're close, Mulder. Halloran's going to get a lot from Rosemary's statement, and maybe it will be enough. Then we can go home, and things can go back to normal."

"Normal?" he repeated.

"Normal… plus some," she clarified.

He smirked and nodded, "Plus some. I like that."

She smiled as he leaned over and kissed her once more before rolling out of bed and getting ready.

There was still work to be done.

_9:12 A.M. Wednesday_

Laundry had gone without a hitch, especially compared to yesterday. Lorraine wasn't there, which made her nervous, but it also meant she didn't have anyone she could talk to comfortably. Laurie had been so shocked upon seeing Scully's arms, it was like she was too upset and disheartened to say anything other than a shy 'sorry' when she was caught staring.

Some of the women whose names she didn't know seemed moderately pleased - the unruly girl had finally been disciplined. Scully hoped they would report this back to their husbands so maybe Victor's suspicions would lessen. The majority of the rest of the women, on the other hand, seemed upset, offering Scully looks of empathetic sympathy every time their eyes met.

Even Rosemary, who initially had been walking with her head held high because of last night's triumph, seemed exponentially disheartened upon seeing Scully's bruises, presumably thinking that her plan may have been the cause.

Scully decided the best course of action would be to lay low, pretend that this perceived lesson she learned last night was so effective that she was choosing not to risk speaking outside the home. She'd risk furtive glances at the women before darting back to her work.

It wasn't until she was back at her house, hanging up the wash on the clothesline, that someone spoke directly to her. She'd been hanging up yesterday's day dress when the wind blew it to the side, revealing one of the other women was standing on the other side. "Jesus," Scully exhaled quickly, jumping back in fear.

"I'm sorry, Katherine," the other woman lamented, stepping out from behind the fabric. Scully immediately recognized her as the mousy woman who usually sat near her at the wash. The one who'd given her the advice about trying to alternate hands while washing.

"N-no, you're fine. I just didn't see you," Scully replied, checking her basket to see if any clothes were left over.

"If you're done. I was wondering if you'd be willing to come to my home for a while? I live right behind you, so we should be safe," she reassured.

Scully felt her curiosity pique at the woman's request. As far as she was aware, they weren't supposed to go out at all, yet this woman was risking it. _Why?_ "Okay," Scully replied with a smile, setting the hamper on the side of the house before following the woman.

Then, remembering Rosemary's warning, she asked, "Hey, I'm sorry. I'm not sure I've caught your name."

"Norma," the woman replied sweetly, easing Scully's worry. "Wife of Alfred."

"Were you guys together when you arrived?" Scully questioned, climbing up the stairs and walking through the door Norma was holding open.

"Um, no," Norma replied, shutting the door behind her. "I was originally with my husband, Alex, but, um, he passed away and I was re-wifed to Alfred."

"Oh, Norma," Scully lamented. "I'm so sorry."

"Me too," Norma nodded, putting a tea kettle on the stove before taking a seat at the kitchen table.

Scully followed suit, sitting next to her as she asked, "May I ask how he passed?"

Norma nodded, wringing her hands together nervously. "D-do you know what happens at the meetings the men have at night?"

Scully shrugged, "Kind of. As far as I'm aware they allow the men to see the dead?"

"Yes. That's correct. Alex was a mama's boy through and through. She died when he was young and he was obsessed with Victor's powers and abilities that allowed him to see her. I think- I think whatever Victor does drains you a bit. As if you have to give away part of your soul every time you cross over to the other side. Alex got weaker and weaker every time he went, yet the other men who didn't go to the other side seemed stronger, like they stole his energy. Um, the last time, I guess he didn't have enough strength and he didn't come back from the other side."

Norma was oddly emotionless as she recounted this, as if she was disassociating from the pain. Scully was reminded of Mulder, how weak he was that night though he didn't seem to be drugged. She felt a wave of unease crash over her as she recalled how desperate he was to see Samantha again. "If you don't mind me asking: how many times did Alex visit the other side before his body gave out?"

"About five times," Norma nodded before a look of remembrance crossed her face and she jumped up, running to the freezer. "I'm so sorry, I almost forgot one of the reasons I called you here in the first place."

A sense of dread started gnawing away at Scully's gut at this new information. _What if he'd gone the past few nights? Would he be half dead already?_ Shucking off the voice in the back of her head, she focused on what Norma was doing. "The reason you called me here?" she repeated.

"I hope you don't think I'm being rude," Norma apologized, a sorry look on her face. "I just noticed you, um, your husband seems to have been cruel to you."

Scully didn't know what to say, and not wanting to spur off the woman, she just nodded, playing along. The woman pulled out a series of what looked like knitted bean bags. "I don't mean to pry, but um, does it hurt you to sit?" she asked softly.

Scully felt her throat go dry at the implication. She had felt a little sore every time she sat down, and she'd mentally smiled at the little reminder of their coupling. A recurring reminder of a moment of intimacy shared with Mulder. She'd temporarily forgotten how different that sensation was for the other women. Clearing her throat, she shook her head. "Um, n-no."

Norma smiled and replied, "Thank god for small blessings." She closed the freezer and made her way back to the table with the bean bags.

"What are those?" Scully asked as she set them in front of her.

"I knit ice packs," Norma beamed, delicately taking Scully's arms and rolling up her sleeves, revealing the marks she'd asked Mulder to make. "Let me know if it's too cold or if I'm hurting you," she smiled before placing the soft, cool material on Scully's wrists.

Scully felt a lump form in her throat at this woman's kindness and the circumstances that caused it - the cruelty these women had to live through. "I know some of the women warned you there would be a change in your husband, but even if you're prepared, it can come as a shock."

She honestly hadn't seen much of a change in Mulder, but she wasn't expecting to in the first place. Despite his interest, he wanted to solve this case. Plus, he'd been fixated on finding out the truth about Samantha before and he was fixated on finding out the truth about Samantha now. However, she wanted to find out more, so she just nodded, "Why does it happen?"

Norma shrugged. "It happens in some men, not all, but I'd say most. They become overwhelmed, so focused on the other side that the living world feels like a nuisance. Some of the women refuse to believe them and I think that infuriates them, I don't know. I'd say ultimately it's the weak men who dissolve into violence." Norma looked up at Scully and winced, fearing she'd offended her. "Sorry."

Scully shook her head and smiled. "No, you're right." Maybe that's why Mulder had fared well, their experience on the X-Files and their relationship in general had completely prepared them for this, not that he would have devolved into this otherwise - he was too good a man. But a lesser man, faced with the extraordinary and being contradicted and made a fool was a recipe for lashing out - textbook male fragility. "Can I ask why you stay?"

Norma shrugged, "I've been here for thirteen years. As far as I'm aware I don't have an identity on the outside anymore. Sure, this may be bad, but I have friends here, a home, three meals a day. What if I leave and I have nothing? I don't know how to find my family, I-I don't want to go to a shelter. I think this just may be for the best."

Scully frowned in response and winced at the pain it caused, shifting Norma's attention. "I'm so sorry this has happened to you," Norma sighed, raising one of the beanbags to Scully's mouth, gently pressing it to the wound. Scully leaned into her touch. Her jaw had been aching more and more as the day progressed, and this felt heavenly. "I'd never had a man strike me before I was married to Alex. It's unjust, _unfair_ , for a man to take out his own personal demons on you, as if… if your pain is great enough it can neutralize whatever he was feeling."

"I'm so sorry, Norma," Scully whispered, overwhelmed at the woman's honesty while hers was a lie.

Norma shook her head, twisting the knitted bag so that a cooler part was on Scully's face. "It's a pain we share. I just hope you know you aren't alone. What you said yesterday to that woman," Norma explained before taking a shuddered breath. "That was so brave, what you said about violence as a method of breaking will and not building character. I know it seems silly, but sometimes being here for so long and being told that you're always in the wrong… you start to believe it yourself. I can't tell you how many of the women I heard murmuring about it all day. I think you gave a lot of the women a sense of selfhood that they'd forgotten they had."

Scully felt her face grow hot at the woman's honesty. What she'd said had just been so painstakingly obvious to her that she hadn't given it a second thought, yet to these women, some of whom probably had no idea of the progresses that had occurred in the outside world, it was revolutionary. "I-I hope what Robert did hasn't broken your spirit, because it would be a shame to see a spirit like yours snuffed out."

A tear rolled down Scully's cheek at the woman's words and Norma smiled weakly at her. She felt bad for misleading Norma, but her sentiments made her realize that Scully needed to hear this more than she'd thought. Scully had been spending the last month trying to convince herself what had happened with Pfaster was a finished chapter of her life. That she was fine. Mulder had tried to talk to her about it, but every time she thought it might help, she couldn't find the right words - trying to navigate an invisible line she'd created for herself, not wanting to seem weak in front of him while trying to be honest. It felt like an impossible task sometimes, even though Mulder had never once made her feel small.

"I-it's not the bruises that bother me," Scully admitted in a whisper, as if afraid speaking in her full voice would make it even more real. "It's having to deal with it afterwards, mentally. Knowing that there are men who find power in bringing you harm. I, um, I had a man who'd been obsessed with me over the past seven years."

"Oh my god," Norma gasped.

"He was released from prison, where he was placed after the first time he attacked me," Scully explained, omitting the rest of the story as not to disturb her further. "He attacked me again, not too long ago, and even though he's dead now, it's not the injuries I sustained that I have a problem with. Aside from a fleeting worry they'd scar or a momentary inconvenience of pain, they didn't matter to me at all. What bothers me is that I'm wasting so much time on him," Scully admitted with a shaky breath. "I think of him when I lay in bed at night, thinking of why he wanted to hurt me, what he wanted to do to me, what he wanted to take from me."

"Someone once told me that you should be proud you can't understand why the people who've done wrong to you did so, it means that you don't possess the same cruelty they do. You don't want to be able to empathize with evil, it's bad for the soul," Norma replied, wiping one of Scully's hot tears from her cheek, soothing it with her touch.

Scully smiled reflectively. "I-I think what bothers me the most is... well, that you work so hard, you're so proud of everything you've accomplished, and in those moments you're-" she paused, recognizing she was doing the same thing she did seven years ago in Karen Kosseff's office. _You_ , _second person, distancing oneself from their feelings._

Taking a deep breath, she started over again, conscious of Norma's support. "What I mean is, I've worked so hard, and I'm so proud of all I've accomplished. But with that man none of that mattered; to him I was a body to be conquered. A woman with body parts he wanted to own. The notion is as terrifying as it is humbling."

"Misogyny has no regard for creed, race, religion, it's universal. Nothing matters when a catcaller harasses you or when a man leers at you other than you are a woman who intimidated them and they want to make you feel weak," Norma replied. "It's dehumanizing. I know to my husband I am just chores to be done, and my body is just relief after a long day."

Scully nodded, another tear falling for the woman in front of her, "Exactly. And, as much as I acknowledge that, and I don't want to give him any more of my time, I can't help but think of how I felt in that moment, how helpless I felt. I just keep replaying those moments he had power over me over and over again, and I feel like I'm just giving him that power again and again by replaying it."

Norma moved her hands, placing the ice packs aside and drew Scully's hands into her own, lowering her head to make Scully look into her eyes. Scully saw nothing but endless empathy and she felt another tear slide down the already lain tracks on her cheeks, relieved to have finally spoken the words despite how embarrassed and vulnerable she felt. "I understand what you're thinking, I understand it all too well, but you can't view being upset about an injustice that happened to you as giving him power. You deserve to grieve for those moments your sense of safety were taken away, but they don't reflect on you. You didn't fail, not at protecting yourself or this or that, they reflect on him being cruel and evil. He didn't deserve to make you feel that way in the moment, and he definitely doesn't deserve to have any influence over how you heal."

Scully nodded and wiped her eyes. "I just wish I knew how to tell Mulder. I can tell he's worried about me, but I don't want to tell him and have the same images of me being attacked and me sulking about it replaying over and over again playing in his head. Even though he probably knows or is making it even worse in his imagination. It's just harder to tell him," she whispered.

"Mulder?" Norma replied.

Scully's eyes widened and she sat up, sniffling and wiping her tears away. "I'm sorry, I mean Robert. That's just a nickname we use in private," she rambled.

Norma nodded, her face contorting into uncertainty, "I-I don't mean to pry, but, you're speaking so highly of a man that enacted a similar cruelty against you."

 _Shit_. Scully started chastising herself mentally. She'd indulged her own personal feelings too much in this and she was starting to convolute their own story. Norma seemed to be trustworthy, and she'd been so kind to her that Scully decided to trust her gut. "This was Victor, not Robert," she whispered, locking eyes with Norma in an attempt to convey her earnesty.

"Victor did this?" she gasped. "W-why?"

"Because Robert won't lay a hand on me," Scully admitted, her sense of survivors guilt coming back. "Victor showed him how he should, and I haven't corrected anyone because-"

"Because you want them to think it was Robert to protect him," Norma finished, smiling.

Scully nodded in response. "I'm sorry for lying to you."

Norma shook her head, dispelling the apology. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm glad to hear Robert's good to you, he seemed like a kind man which is one of the reasons so many of us were exponentially perturbed this morning."

"He really is," Scully whispered with a smirk, before adding, "Um, could you not te-"

"Your secret is safe with me dear," the woman assured.

"Thank you," Scully replied sweetly.

Norma smiled in kind, readjusting the ice packs on her wrists. "I don't want to ignore what you said earlier, if he loves you as much as it seems you love him, then I think maybe letting him know could help. I hope I'm not overstepping, but it sounds like you're scared _he_ might view you in these ways you're internalizing. That you can't protect yourself or that you're not bouncing back as fast as you'd hoped you would."

Scully let out a low sigh, she knew Norma was right, but it still made her stomach churn to admit the hold Pfaster still had on her to Mulder, but she didn't want to have any secrets from him. Scully nodded, with a tearful smile. "You're right."

Norma looked like she was about to say something when she paused, looking off in the distance. "What?" Scully murmured, only to be silenced by a raised hand.

"Did you hear that?" she whispered.

They sat motionless, waiting for something to happen. They both turned to each other upon hearing a loud shout of " _Katherine!"_

_The Field_

_The Hallowed Compound_

_10:04 A.M. Wednesday._

Yet again, it seemed, Victor was punishing Mulder and sticking him on some dumb assignment. It felt like he was working for Kersh again. Part of him was relieved it wasn't compost duty again. The pit he dug only ended up being about three feet long and three feet deep, so it was going to be a tight fit if they were planning on offing him. He figured it was just a scare tactic. Today his assignment was trimming the grass by the fence with a weed whacker, which wouldn't have been all that bad if it weren't for the fact he was assigned to do the entire perimeter of the compound. The only plus was it was another solo assignment, so it was easy for him to hide Rosemary's journal in the trunk of the tree.

He was grateful that tonight he wasn't banned from the ceremony, so he could get back to doing his side of the assignment. Recently he'd been sanctioned away from the rest of the men, unable to even get information out of Randy, or he was too busy being reprimanded to find out more about the ceremonies. Now he could do that, while also getting another chance at seeing Samantha.

Mulder knew it bothered Scully, and this was not what he was here to do, but he was desperate. It felt like just within that one meeting with her he'd been so close to finding out more, only for her to be snatched away from him again. He just needed to ask the heavy hitters this time.

He was ripped from his musings by the sounds of someone shouting "Robert!" behind him. Turning around, he saw the stringy-haired old man trying to get his attention.

He turned off the weed whacker and asked, "Can I help you?"

"Where's your wife?" Freddy asked.

Mulder felt stress burgeoning in his chest. "What?"

"She's needed at the Warren's house, but we can't find her," Freddy replied.

"The Warren's?" Mulder repeated setting down the weed whacker and walking towards the homes with the man.

"Yeah, Ed and what's-her-face. They have that cute daughter, Anna-something? She's sick and apparently your wifey said she can help, but she's not home," the man replied lazily.

"What do you mean she's not home?" Mulder asked, his concern coming across like anger, consequently making the other man smile.

"Are there many definitions of 'not at home'? I meant what I said. Maybe you're an unknowing cuck," Freddy laughed.

"Is she at the wash area or whatever?" Mulder asked.

"No, I searched all over the outside areas and inside your house. The clothes are on the line, but she's nowhere to be seen."

As soon as they got into town, Mulder ran to their neighbor's house. Mulder knew Scully had two friends on the compound, and if she wasn't at Lorraine's, she might be with Laurie. He pounded his fist on the screen door, waited a few seconds, and then did it again, this time calling out Laurie's name. This time Laurie opened the door, her face turning from curious to enraged upon seeing Mulder's face. _That was odd._

"Laurie, have you seen Katherine?" he panted, not realizing he was out of breath nor that he'd apparently run all here.

The girl gave him an icy stare before looking at his tie, following the cult rules. Mulder realized instantly this probably meant she wasn't supposed to talk to him. He was too worried about Scully to care about the man behind him and he leaned towards the screen lowering his voice and murmured, "I'm not trying to get you in trouble for talking to me, I just don't know where Katherine is and I'm worried."

Laurie let out a humorless exhale at his plea and he realized the girl had probably seen Scully's bruises and now thought he was just as bad as the others. "Laurie, please. I'm begging you, just tell me if you know where she's at."

The girl looked up at him once before shaking her head. "Thanks," he murmured before stalking off to the side, running his hand through his hair. _Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit._

"Were all the men in the field?" Mulder asked, turning to Freddy who was just loitering behind him, watching in amusement.

"We trust the men are doing what they need to," he stated ominously.

"Oh really? Yet when I'm ten minutes late you send the cavalry," he spat in irritation. He ran into his house and scoured all the rooms, shouting her name. She wasn't there and he felt his panic starting to mount even more.

_He had a bad feeling about this._

Mulder practically jumped over the patio steps and wandered around the lot, deciding to take the only course of action he knew how. "Katherine!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

He paused for a moment, hearing a noise, only to see a woman was sticking her head out of her window to look at him. "Have you seen Katherine?" he asked.

The woman avoided his gaze, but looked at the row of houses behind his. "Thanks," he murmured, running to the next row.

"Katherine!" he screamed, looking around for a sign of anything.

"Robert?" he heard a familiar voice call softly.

He felt a surge of relief mixed with embarrassment for jumping to conclusions coarse through his veins. "Oooh, wifey's going to be in trouble," Freddy's voice behind him cooed.

_Shit._

He realized in this moment he was going to have to put on a show lest Freddy tell everyone his wife was insubordinate and get them in trouble again, he couldn't let last night be for nothing. He stalked towards her, trying to mouth 'I'm sorry' the whole way there. She nodded once softly and he hoped that meant she understood this was an act.

"Where the fuck have you been?" he yelled, standing in front of her and invading her personal space.

"With my friend," she replied softly, placing her hands in front of her in a nervous, defensive pose he was happy to say he'd never seen her do before that moment. He wished he never had to see her do that.

He leaned forward, as if getting in her face, and murmured, "Pretend this hurts." Looking up, he noticed her friend was closer than he'd anticipated, and it was likely she heard what he said as she smirked in response. Hoping that Scully was being honest when she said this was a friend, he decided to ignore the implications of her being a snitch. He placed his hand on the back of Scully's neck, holding her gently while flexing his arm as if he was exuding a lot of force.

Scully played along, whimpering while hunching over slightly. He grabbed her side, gathering her dress in his fist and hoping it looked like a worse gesture than it was. He assumed they were doing a good job because Freddy was beaming enthusiastically. "I always knew you had it in you, Rob," he beamed, causing Mulder to feel like shit.

"Where's the Warren's place?" he asked.

"Over here," Freddy replied, leading the way.

Mulder quickly pressed a kiss to Scully's temple when Freddy's back was turned before pretending to drag her along. When they reached the house, the man said, "You can go now, I just needed you to locate her."

Mulder's adrenaline was still thrumming through his body and he was too wired to be away from Scully. "I need to have a moment alone with my wife after this. I think it's best if I stay," Mulder seethed convincingly, glaring at the crown of Scully's head.

"Can't argue with that," Freddy shrugged. "I'll be here."

Mulder was about to go inside with Scully before he felt her gently tug on his sleeve. He looked down and saw she was trying to tell him something without breaking the rules. He lowered his head, so his ear was next to her mouth, and she whispered, "Ask him to get our first aid kit."

"Can you run to our house, Freddy? Under our sink is a first aid kit, could you bring it to me?" Mulder asked.

The man nodded before demanding: "Wait on the porch until I get back." As he ran away, the tension dissipated, causing them both to sigh in relief.

"Did I hurt you?" he murmured quietly.

"No," she whispered back before sniffing lightly. "But what's going on? I presume we're here because of Annabelle."

"Apparently your friend Lorraine requested your help, but when Freddy went to retrieve you, you weren't at home," he explained.

"I'm sorry, another woman wanted to meet with me after seeing the bruises. I think it really helped establish trust with some of the women I haven't spoken with and helped us seem convincing to the strict women," she explained after clearing her throat.

As she did so, he caught sight of her face, which he hadn't been able to see before. "Hey," he murmured, cupping her jaw and coaxing her to look at him. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were flushed. "Scully, have you been crying?" he asked, his heart sinking in his chest.

She sniffled and shook her head, "We can talk about it later."

"Was it something the other woman said or was it something personal?" he asked, hating the fact that Scully, who was usually so stoic, had been crying so hard her face was red and blotchy.

"Mulder, I'm okay. I promise," she implored with a smile.

"I'm trusting you that you mean that," he replied, grateful she at least didn't say she was 'fine'.

"Good," she replied, her gaze immediately shooting down as Freddy bounded up the stairs behind her.

"Here's the kit, let's go in," he grumbled.

They made their way inside, and the layout of the house was very similar to their own, causing Scully to take lead and bound up the stairs. He followed her, glad when Freddy took a seat downstairs. He followed her into the child's bedroom - only able to tell it was a child's bedroom by the fact there was a child in a bed.

"Katherine," a sobbing woman sighed in relief. "I'm so glad you're here."

"What's wrong?" Scully asked, sitting on the bed next to the girl, in front of the mother kneeling at her bedside.

"Her fever's gotten worse, and she keeps trembling," Lorraine explained.

"Chills," Scully murmured.

"Hi, sweetheart," Scully beamed, turning to the girl.

The little girl made a non-committal noise that sounded like an attempt at a response, but she was too weak. The whole sight was all too evocative of Scully and Emily and Mulder felt his heart sink knowing it was likely all too fresh for her as well. He watched as Scully rolled up her sleeves, revealing her blotchy bruises.

Only, while he expected it, her friend did not.

A gasp tore from her throat as Lorraine seethed, "What did he do to you?"

"Lorraine, don't. Freddy's here," Ed warned in a hush whisper.

Lorraine turned to look at her husband, who was sitting somberly against the wall, before turning to glare daggers at Mulder. While it made him happy to see everyone who befriended Scully was furious to see her harmed, he didn't enjoy being on the receiving side of that anger. Unable to meet the woman's gaze, he looked down at his feet self-consciously. It was a weak move and he knew it, but it was punctuated by Lorraine's scoff.

"I'm fine, I'm more concerned about Annabelle right now," Scully deflected. "Can you tell me her basic information, age, height, weight, things like that?"

"She's two and a half, twenty-six pounds, and a little under three feet tall," Lorraine explained.

She was giving more information, but Mulder felt his heart stop as he focused on that one piece of information.

_Three feet._

_Like the grave he just dug._

His eyes darted to the little girl on the bed, her hair matted to her face with sweat as her face was ruddy. He heard Scully mention the possibility of pneumonia, that she was going to give Annabelle some antibiotics, but he knew as far as the cult was concerned: Annabelle was going to die.

"Can we take her to the hospital? There's the car used for groceries? Can't we use that?" Mulder interjected, fear poorly hidden in his tone.

Scully nodded in agreement. "It's what I would recommend. The antibiotics will only do so much, and I think her illness is too severe for them to have effect. If we don't take her to the hospital, I'm afraid-"

"No one leaves," Freddy stated firmly from the doorway, causing all four adults in the room to jump.

Mulder turned to him and seethed. "She is sick, we can't wait until it's too late."

"To die on this property would be the highest honor," Freddy snapped, causing Lorraine to sob.

Mulder turned to Scully and they shared a look.

_They were running out of time._


	10. Chapter 10

_The Vineyard_

_The Hallowed Compound_

_11:08 A.M. Wednesday_

Mulder had been feeling uneasy since they arrived, but after seeing this blatant disregard for the life of a young child, he knew they needed to move fast. He assumed Scully felt the weight of the clock, but, before they parted ways, he just wanted to make sure they were on the same page.

The idea struck him as he watched her walk back towards their house. "Katherine, before I go, I was just hoping you could clarify something that's been bothering me," he called out, causing her to stop and turn around.

"Hmm?" she hummed in response.

"What was the name of your old dog? Queequeg, right?" he stated slowly.

She hadn't looked at all surprised by the use of the safe word. She almost appeared relieved he was the one to say it first. "You're absolutely correct," she stated firmly, before adding for good measure, "Queequeg."

It wasn't for their own safety, as they'd originally intended it to be used, but that little girl looked severely unwell. He was no doctor but he was proficient in the art of reading Scully's mannerisms, and if the look in her eyes was any indication, Annabelle should have been at a hospital days ago.

Mulder was glad he only had a little less than an hour of work before he could go and see Scully again. They could call Halloran and let him know there was a serious case of child endangerment and they could begin preparation to shut the place down and get everyone to safety. The tricky part was not causing a mass riot while being time sensitive.

He sighed before continuing to prune the grape vines. Mulder distantly recalled being told working with the grapes was the best job here, and the thought of what he was potentially being rewarded for made him want to be sick.

Though he didn't have to wonder for much longer as Victor gallivanted up to him.

"You did good, Robert," he mused, sniffling grotesquely.

"What do you mean?" Mulder replied, not even bothering to look at the man.

Victor chuckled before patting him on the back. "Katherine looked like she learned a valuable lesson last night."

Mulder felt his jaw clench even though he had a sinking feeling this was coming. "Wait," he paused before turning to ask, "When did you see my wife?"

Victor pulled out a handkerchief and blew his nose into it before stuffing it into his back pocket with a shrug. "I see everything others see," he replied ominously.

Mulder presumed that meant he saw everything through his spies, but that phrasing coming out of a weirdo with a God complex was still unsettling. "She knows what's expected of her," he replied.

"I hope that's true," Victor replied, scanning Mulder up and down. "You look to be in good health. I'm glad because I wanted to personally let you know that we are expecting you tonight at the gathering."

He stopped mid-pruning to turn to the man. "Really?"

Victor nodded once with an unsettling grin. "I know it must've been hard being forbidden to go the last few nights, but just know it was for your own good. Now that we feel confident in your commitment, we're thrilled to have you."

"Will it be like last time?" Mulder asked.

The older man threw back his head with a laugh before clapping Mulder on the shoulder. "Yes, my boy. You can see the other side." That was all Victor said before he just walked off, going to talk to some other member of the cult whose name Mulder couldn't recall ever having known.

With an anxious sigh, he turned, only for his attention to lock onto a disturbance in the grass.

_Victor's handkerchief._

_DNA._

Mulder did a quick sweep before bending down and pulling out a plastic baggie from his pocket. He'd had two plastic baggies on him at all times since coming here, but this was the first time he'd ever had need to use it. He pushed the inside of the bag outward so he could grab the handkerchief without touching it directly before sealing it and putting it back in his pocket. He waited a good twenty minutes, until he was certain Victor was gone, before retreating to the tree. He'd developed a reputation for having a tiny bladder, and it was a reputation Mulder tried to feed into to make his routine visits to the tree trunk seem inconspicuous. He quickly stashed the handkerchief within the hollowed out base before pretending to relieve himself.

As he whistled and looked around, he caught sight of Randy, who was still on fence reinforcement duty. Mulder hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Randy in a while and he wanted to find out more about how the Hallowed treated their ill and if there was any precedent to what was going on with Annabelle.

"Hey Randy, how's it going?" Mulder greeted, walking over to the man a few yards away.

Randy looked back up and him with a callous expression before shrugging. "Fine."

A sense of awkwardness settled across Mulder's chest and he shifted his weight uncomfortably. He'd never been received so indifferently by the man and his coldness took Mulder off guard.

"Are you okay?" Mulder asked, trying again.

The man chuffed out a humorless laugh before murmuring, "Like you care."

Mulder bent down, assisting Randy with the task he was doing. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't," Mulder replied.

Randy's movements halted, his hands gripping the wood of the fence tightly. Mulder remained silent, waiting for him to say his piece. He almost jumped as the man locked eyes with him, his gaze as intense as it was full of resentment. "How could you do that to her?"

Embarrassment coursed through Mulder's veins like hot lead. Their display had been done in the hopes of making them appear better to the group, but they hadn't taken into consideration how it would look to the respectable people here. Randy, Laurie, Lorraine, Ed, they all saw him as a monster now. "Randy, I-" he began, only to be cut off.

" _No,_ " Randy seethed. "Katherine is a kind woman. Laurie adores the piss outta her. I saw what she looked like when I was running late to work. You brutalized her, Robert. For what? To impress these people? I thought you were one of the good ones."

Randy started standing up, but was halted as Mulder grabbed his arm. "Randy, you don't understand-"

"I understand more than people think," Randy replied, his face becoming as red as his hair. "Just because I don't wanna hurt anyone doesn't mean I'm weak. I've seen so many men come around here and fall privy to the culture here; men who when given free reign will use it for evil. I'm sick of it."

"Then why do you stay?" Mulder asked, not removing his hold on the man in fear he'd bolt.

Randy looked at him and took a big sigh. "If it were just me, I might've, but I'm the only thing keepin' Laurie from marrying someone like you," he spat. "As long as I'm here, she's off limits."

Mulder sighed in sympathy for the man, letting go of his arm. Randy was stuck between a rock and a hard place and he was letting himself get crushed just because he thought it would protect a woman he's close to. Mulder could sympathize.

"It wasn't me, Randy," Mulder admitted.

"What?" Randy replied, seeking an answer in Mulder's eyes.

"Victor hit her in front of me, that's why her jaw is black and blue. She was scared it would happen again so she asked me to help bruise her. She has that medical training from, uh, the school she worked at, so she knew how I could administer them without causing her anything more than momentary discomfort. I swear to you, Randy, I hate it more than anyone," Mulder explained.

"V-Victor hit her? Because you weren't?" Randy asked nervously, unquestionably thinking of Laurie.

"Because he said Katherine was insubordinate. He caught her outside the house after curfew and that compiling onto all the other things we had been doing that pissed him off caused him to lash out," Mulder explained. "But you said everyone here likes Laurie right? Since she grew up here? I doubt the same would occur."

"Maybe," Randy replied, seemingly unconvinced. In that moment, Mulder realized maybe it would be better for Randy to be on edge. That discontent in the community might make it easier when everything came down in the next few days.

"I'd be careful though, Randy. I don't know how much all the men respect the marriage claim," he warned.

Randy looked shocked at this. "Whaddya mean?"

"I think Tobe tried to assault my wife," Mulder admitted, feeling guilty for revealing something personal about Scully even though he knew she'd understand.

"W-what? Is Katherine all right? Did he-" Randy rambled, his worry for Scully endearing him further to Mulder.

"She's fine. Katherine is very resourceful. She was able to prevent anything happening until I got there," Mulder replied. "At least that's what she tells me. I think the situation made her really uncomfortable, and she doesn't want to seem weak. I just have to trust she's telling me everything or I'll go insane thinking of what he might've done. Just thinking he so much as looked at her wrong makes my blood boil."

Randy let out a low sigh. "Tobe's one of the rotten apples whose bad attitude spoils the bunch. He doesn't need permission to be a primitive brute." He turned to Mulder and lamented, "I'm sorry I thought you were one."

Mulder shook his head. "You don't need to apologize for being a good man, Randy. It puts me at ease to think someone else is concerned for Katherine's safety."

"Oh it's not just me, the women apparently think the world of her," Randy chuckled.

Mulder smiled as he cocked his head to the side. Scully hadn't mentioned having any other friends other than Annabelle's mom, Randy's wife, and this new woman she was with today. "What do you mean?"

Randy rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I know it's not my place to say this, but I think a lot of the women are just docile because they know it'll be easier than being themselves. A defense mechanism of sorts. I know Laurie's quirky but quiet out in public, but at home she's funny and never stops talking. Laurie says your wife is kind and, in her words, 'takes no shit from those awful men.' Laurie has a lot of friends around since she was raised here, and she says everyone she's talked to has become captivated by the way Katherine carries herself."

Mulder felt a smile of pride threaten to tear his cheeks. _That's his Scully._ "What else did Laurie say?" he asked selfishly. Mulder so rarely got to openly talk about how amazing Scully was, and he'd be damned if he didn't take this opportunity.

"Apparently yesterday one of the older women, one of Victor's spies, was giving her a verbal lashing and Katherine wasn't having it. She made a sex joke in front of everyone and then told the lady something I can't remember, but it made Laurie happy," he explained, trying to wrack his brain for details.

Mulder laughed at the fact Scully was being such a shitstirrer when he knew she was trying to be on her best behaviour. It appeared Scully simply refused to bend to the will of injustice, just as he'd expect.

As much as he wanted to hear every little detail, he knew he was on a case and needed to focus on the other information being given. "How many spies would you say Victor has?"

"I dunno. It seems like-" he started before being interrupted.

"Too weak to mend a fence by yourself, Randy?" one of the men joked off in the distance, causing them both to jump slightly.

"It looks like they were having a moment. Apparently there's more fruit in the vineyard than just the grapes," another teased, resulting in surrounding chuckles.

"Yeah right," Mulder called out, not wanting to indulge the rude comments nor come across as standoffish. "I was just trying to convince him that baseball is the true American sport," he deflected.

_The Thorn Residence_

_The Hallowed Compound_

_12:06 P.M. Wednesday_

Scully was too nervous to make anything impressive for lunch, so she just threw together some ham sandwiches and chips while waiting for Mulder to come back. She knew they were in a bad situation, but hearing Mulder use the safeword just cemented how bad things actually were.

She turned to the door when she heard a knock and smiled weakly when she saw Mulder standing on the other side of the screen. Walking over, she undid the latch before letting him in and closing both doors behind him. Ever since the Tobe situation, they'd been trying to be a little more cautious.

"Hey," he greeted with a sigh, walking over to the cabinet above the refrigerator to grab the phone. "How did things go for you today?" he asked as he turned around and sat at the table.

"Good, I can tell the women view me as one of them now," Scully replied, taking a seat across from him. "Sorry," she murmured as her foot knocked against his.

He let his foot tap against hers in jest as he began wolfing down his food. "The men trust me again too, though I had to spend twenty minutes getting back into Randy's good graces," he replied in between bites.

Scully's brow furrowed as she looked up at Mulder. Randy was the most reliable source of information Mulder had and Scully felt more comfortable with him being out there since he had a friend. She didn't like the thought of him not having someone to turn to if he needed. "What do you mean? What happened?"

"He saw you, that's what happened," Mulder replied. "He had the same reaction Lorraine did, abject horror. He was ready to shun me for laying a hand on you."

"He was worried about me?" Scully asked, a small smile tugging on her lips at the thought of the dorky man being concerned for her.

"From what he's told me, you're a fan-favorite among the cult women," Mulder answered with a smile. "Can't blame them."

There was a warmth in her cheeks that she wanted to hide from him, but she was trying to resist the urge to be shy. She cleared her throat and deflected the subject away from her, "So, how were you able to convince him to like you again?"

"I'm sorry, I told him the truth," he admitted with chagrin.

She put some chips into her mouth and shook her head. "Don't be, I told someone too."

"You did?" he replied, sounding surprised but relieved he wasn't the only one to break cover.

"Yeah," she nodded. "That woman you saw me with, Norma, she invited me over and tended to my bruises. She was so open and kind, and, um-" Scully paused, remembering that it was her confession about Mulder that caused her to admit the truth. "I, uh- I didn't feel good lying to her. I just said this was Victor's doing."

"I didn't anticipate the small benefit of being able to judge who to trust and who to be wary of based off how they react to you," he admitted with a sigh. Even though their plan worked for the best, she could see it was still bothering him.

She leaned over and grabbed one of his hands, squeezing it lightly and drawing his attention to her. "I'm sorry you still feel bad about it, but it was worth it, Mulder," she reiterated.

His hazel eyes bore into hers as his thumb stroked the skin of the back of her hand. "I am just excited to get out of here," he whispered before raising her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles.

"You and me both," she smiled, leaning back and withdrawing her hand to grab their empty plates, setting them in the sink.

Those small gestures of affection still made her heart race despite last night. If anything, last night just made her more acutely affected by Mulder's overtures. The graze of his lip against her skin just reminded her of how good his lips felt elsewhere on her body. When she looked in his eyes, she just remembered how they looked filled with passion. She was feeling a whirlwind of emotions in a place that required she feel none.

"Are you ready to talk to Halloran?" he called from the table.

"Yeah," she replied, walking back from the sink, maneuvering her chair next to his.

The dial tone lasted only a few beats before an enthusiastic voice emitted from the other side. "Mulder? Scully?" he asked.

"It's us," she confirmed.

"That written testimony was a goldmine, you guys," he praised. "Those names came back with so much info. Those men are convicted felons."

"We knew that though," Mulder replied quizzically.

"Not to this extent," the Sheriff replied. "Over seventeen of those men have warrants out for their arrest. Murder, aggravated assault, serial rapes, the list goes on and on. This isn't a community, it's a safe place for violent criminals evading the law."

"Oh my god," she whispered, terrified of the vulnerable situations Mulder'd been in surrounded by those types of men.

"That's not all. Some of the women's names come up with missing person's reports. A lot of the children too," he replied. "Families have been looking for these people for years, and I want to help bring their loved ones back."

Scully was reminded of Norma, who was under the assumption no one cared about her, and a smile broke out across her face. "Me too, and we need to work fast, Halloran. There's a little girl here who's really sick. She needs medical attention."

"Is there anything I can do?" Halloran asked. "Anything I can bring?"

"We still have the antibiotics, but there's nothing you could bring that wouldn't raise suspicion. She needs an IV, a humidifier, oxygen," Scully sighed. "She needs a hospital."

"Do you think she'll be okay through the night?" Halloran asked.

Scully let out a low sigh, "Yeah. I plan on going over and checking on her before nightfall. If it's too bad I'll call you and we can arrange for an emergency intervention."

"Okay," Halloran agreed. "I'm going to organize a plan with my team tonight and we'll be in position tomorrow. You just give us a call around this time and we can plan how best to approach everything alright?"

"I don't know if it's worth anything, but I got a handkerchief with Victor's DNA on it. I put it in the hollow of the tree, but if you're coming tomor-" Mulder explained, only to get cut off.

"That's perfect, Agent Mulder. Rosemary didn't have any strong details about him, and we haven't been able to find any information on him. It's like he doesn't exist. I'll go pick up the sample before meeting with my team and that'll give us an even stronger case," Halloran boasted enthusiastically.

They wrapped things up before hanging up, Scully taking the phone from Mulder before walking to the refrigerator.

"That's great you were able to find DNA," Scully replied, hoisting one of her legs onto the kitchen counter.

She smirked to herself as she felt Mulder's hands gently grab her hips, helping her up and steadying her as she put the phone away. "Yeah, I think everyone thinks I have a bladder infection with how often I pretend to pee at that damned tree," Mulder chuckled.

Scully set the phone upright before checking that both of the guns were still there. A shiver ran through her body as she felt one of Mulder's hands snake up her skirt, toying with the elastic band of her underwear on her hip bone. "We're so close," he murmured.

It made her heart speed up at the thought. As soon as they were off the property, what would they do? Would they just go to their separate apartments, as if nothing happened? Would it change everything? It made her nervous, but she wanted him and whatever that entailed.

She closed the cupboard before turning her head with a smile. She locked eyes on him for a moment before something in her periphery caught her attention. She looked over at the window and her heart sank when she saw a figure standing at the window, just the top of their head visible. She gasped and sank onto the counter, putting her hands on Mulder's shoulders as he helped lift and slide her off the counter.

"What?" he asked, immediately on edge.

"Someone's watching us," she whispered, pointing to the window.

Mulder turned around, causing her arms to fall away from him, and stormed over, putting his face to the screen to look around. "I don't see anyone," he replied over his shoulder.

"Was the window open the whole time?" she whispered, a sense of dread settling in the pit of her stomach.

"I-I don't know," he replied, failing to keep the frustration out of his voice.

"Damn it," she seethed. They'd been careless and now it might cost them.

"Are you sure it was a person you saw?" he asked.

Scully rolled her eyes before sighing, "Yes."

"I didn't mean it to be rude, I just wanted to make sure," he replied defensively.

She put her hands up, as if to stop them from taking their frustrations out on each other, "I know. I know. This was just the last thing we needed."

He walked over and grabbed her hands, clutching them between his own. "Hey, with how they act, I'm sure we'll find out if they're suspicious. I'll go back to work and see if anyone is treating me differently. If something feels off, we can just call Halloran during dinner, okay?"

She was about to agree before she remembered what Norma told her earlier. "I'm worried about you going to that meeting tonight," she stated firmly.

"I'll be fine, Scu-" he started, but she didn't want to hear it.

"Norma's first husband died because he was so excited to go to this other side thing that's nothing but Victor's smoke and mirrors," Scully lamented.

Mulder looked hurt by that and took a step back. "I told you, it's real, Scully."

She sighed and pulled her hands away so she could wipe her face. "I know it feels real, Mulder, but whatever it is causes you to lose your capacities. You were put in a position where they could brand you, and they weren't suspicious of you back then. Who knows what they might do to you this time? Who's to say they won't take the chance to kill you and marry me off to Tobe like they did with Rosemary?" She knew it was a low blow, but she was banking on him taking his safety more seriously if it meant ensuring hers as well.

"I won't let that happen, Scully," he stated firmly.

"I don't know if it's only your choice," she replied.

"Randy's there, he won't let anything bad happen to me."

She exhaled a humorless laugh, "Oh, I'm so glad our safety rests in the hands of Randy."

"Hey, Robert, wanna walk to work together?" a voice called from the front door, accompanying a knock.

"Look, he already knows when he's needed," Mulder attempted to joke lamely.

He wasn't taking this seriously and it was making her anxious. This was serious, but he was so blinded by his desire to get answers that he was putting himself in danger. Again.

"Hey," Mulder whispered, putting a finger under her chin to coax her to look at him. She could tell he felt as conflicted as she did, clearly not wanting to upset her but wanting to get closer to this evasive 'truth'. "I know you're worried. I am too. Please trust that I'm being careful."

She'd seen Mulder in enough hospital beds over the years to know they had different definitions of 'careful', but she didn't want to fight with him anymore. "Okay," she whispered, leaning forward as he pressed his lips to her forehead.

He pulled back before pressing another kiss to her lips, only pulling back as Randy knocked again. "I'll see you later, okay?" he murmured.

She nodded in response and smiled as he implored, "We'll be okay."

Scully just hoped he was right.


	11. Chapter 11

_The Dirt Paths_

_The Hallowed Compound_

_7:56 P.M. Wednesday_

Despite Scully's fear, when Mulder went back to work no one was acting any differently than they had that morning. People were still ribbing him in camaraderie while he worked at the field, even going so far as to say they were excited about tonight. Occasionally some of the 'weaker' men would get picked on, but other than that, it was a relatively uneventful day.

He'd told Scully as much while they were having dinner, but even though she seemed to be pleased by this, he could tell she was worried. It was a look he'd seen on her face all too often and one he was sure she'd seen on his own. She picked at her food throughout the whole meal, stared at the table absently as if she was off in her own world, and, when she did look at him, her eyes were outpouring with worry. Scully was treating that figure in the window as a portent of doom, and no matter how much he tried to dissuade her fears, he knew she wouldn't be content until he came back in one piece.

His only reprieve from her worry was when she had shifted her attention onto the little girl. When they went over after dinner, Annabelle was fast asleep, which Scully said was probably for the best. Scully gave Lorraine another round of antibiotics and implored that they come over to their house if anything happened during the night.

It was not lost on Mulder that Lorraine was still glaring at him, not that he blamed her. Scully had informed him today was the first time she'd ever seen Lorraine's husband, and Mulder had to say the same since he had a different job. Mulder didn't know how to feel about Ed, he seemed perturbed at Mulder's supposed transgression towards Scully, yet Ed was the person in charge of helping the cult recruit people. When he mentioned it to Scully, she'd implored that Ed was trapped like everyone else. On the outside world, it was likely he'd be arrested for not paying his debts, while here he could at least be with his family.

While that was true, Mulder was uncertain of how much personal benefit could outweigh the cost other people were suffering.

Ultimately, by the time they arrived back at their house, it was time for him to go to the meeting. Randy was sitting on the porch steps waiting to walk with Mulder. "Hi Rob," he greeted, standing up. "Katherine," he greeted a bit more quietly, tipping his cap to Scully.

"Hi, Randy," she greeted with a smile.

It didn't escape Mulder's notice that whenever Scully directed her attention to Randy, he never ceased to blush. Mulder couldn't blame him, especially since the man had to spend most of his free time hanging around a teenager, being able to interact with a beautiful woman like Scully clearly was something he wasn't used to. "Sorry I gotta steal Rob away," he joked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"That's okay if you promise to keep him safe," Scully replied kindly. He could tell she was being extra charming in the hopes it would guilt Randy into being more cautious of Mulder's safety just to impress her.

"Will do, Ma'am," he replied with another affirming nod.

"Let's get going," Mulder replied, patting Randy's arm. "I'll see you in about an hour," he replied confidently to Scully.

"Wait," she called out softly to him as soon as his back was to her.

Mulder turned around and saw she'd walked a few feet so she was right behind him. She looked a bit bashful, looking at Randy who took the hint and looked away before easing herself onto her tiptoes to kiss him. Without her shoes on, she was unable to reach him fully so he craned his neck down and met her halfway, relishing the sensation of her plump lips pressing eagerly against his.

He placed his hands on her ribs and felt them expand as she inhaled quickly. The kiss only lasted a moment before Scully lowered herself back down, looking at him shyly. "Be careful," she murmured before turning. She was stopped by him grabbing her wrist gently, causing her to look back at him.

"I promise," he murmured lowly.

She nodded and he let go of her wrist, watching as she walked into the house and locked the door behind her. "Sorry about that," he murmured, turning to Randy. "She's just worried someone might push things too far, especially after the branding."

"Don't be, I think it's sweet seeing you two so in love," Randy replied, walking towards the path leaning to the meeting area.

"Can I ask you something?" Mulder posed, looking around idly.

"Shoot," the man replied.

"How do they choose who goes to the other side and who doesn't?" he asked.

Randy sighed, as if he wasn't sure how to respond. "Well, this is just a theory, it may sound a little out there."

Mulder couldn't help but smirk. "I'm a fan of unusual explanations."

"I think it depends if you have someone to see," Randy shrugged.

"What do you mean?"

"I've been there," the redhead stated. "I, um, I said something nasty to my father, not knowing it would be the last time I ever saw him."

"I'm sorry," Mulder murmured.

Randy nodded before continuing, "He was who I saw on the other side. As soon as I saw him I broke down and told him everything I wish I'd have said instead. He said I was a dumbass for thinking I needed to apologize for anything - that the thousands of things I'd said to him over the years, all the times I'd made him laugh or told him I loved him, weren't negated by one offhand comment there at the end."

Mulder said nothing, digesting the man's words, and Randy took that as a signal to continue. "Then I hugged him and he was gone, like he became a bright light and then shot away from me. After that, Victor said I had no reason to go back."

"Where do you think it is you go?" Mulder asked.

"I used to think heaven, but now I think it's like a limbo of sorts," he shrugged. "Some people have a lot of people on the other side, others have never gone over."

Mulder was just about to ask who hadn't been over when they started falling in step with some of the other men making their way to the gathering. Then, out of nowhere, a sound of pure anguish ripped through the silence of the night causing Mulder to whip around. "What the hell was that?" he asked, incredulous.

"Sounds like those damn coyotes are ripping out each other's throats again," one of the men laughed, causing a few others to chuckle around him.

Apparently all forms of violence amused these men. "Sounds brutal," Mulder replied with a shrug as he stopped near the pit, waiting for his turn to go down.

Mulder knew they were a few minutes late, but he was surprised when they got down there that some of the men were chanting as if the ceremonies had already started. Upon reaching the basement floor, he noticed there seemed to be fewer men there than normal, but before he had a chance to take a good look, his attention was drawn to the ground in front of Victor.

A man he'd never seen before was writhing on the ground as if he was seizing with binds keeping him down. His eyes were rolled into the back of his head, only the whites visible, as his lips moved wordlessly. The man looked like he was having a medical emergency, yet no one around seemed to care.

"What the hell's going on?" Mulder cried out, taking a step forward towards the man.

Victor raised his hand to halt Mulder before looking up towards him. "Patience, Robert. Your time will come soon."

"Wh-" he began asking, only to feel Randy grab his arm lightly and pull him back towards the side of the room, blending in with everyone else and the ambient chatter going on.

"That's what people look like when they're visiting the other side," Randy explained in a hushed tone. Mulder focused on the man, noticing that even in this state, the man's lips would occasionally quirk up as if he was smiling.

He was pulled away as Randy whispered, "Here you go."

Mulder looked and saw it was the Kool Aid concoction from last time. He looked at the drink dubiously, he knew Scully would advise against it, but he felt a compulsion to take the offering all the same. He hesitated

"Do you want to go to the other side tonight?" Randy asked, turning slightly when some of the men started cheering at something on the other side of the room.

Scully's worried face flashed in his mind and guilt settled in his gut. He knew she didn't want him to, that it was a bit of a risk. But for all he knew this was his last chance. He'd never felt this connected before. "Yeah," he replied with a solemn nod.

"Then drink this," Randy implored, pushing the cup closer to Mulder as he took a swig of his own. "Katherine said to watch out for you, that's what I'm gonna do."

"Why are you drinking it if you're not participating?" Mulder asked, resolving that if Randy was this confident it was for the best that he should trust him.

He leaned closer to Mulder, so that there was less of a chance of someone overhearing. "I hate seeing this. The drink calms my nerves," he replied.

Mulder took a large swig of the drink before asking, "How long does it usually last per person?" He had to be a bit louder than he'd have liked, but the people around them were being rambunctious.

"Apparently to them it feels like five minutes, but usually in the real world it can be anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour," Randy replied.

Mulder finished off the rest of the liquid, and despite the short time frame, with each drink he felt better than he had all day. His sore muscles felt rejuvenated, his headache went away, and everything felt clearer. The sound of gagging drew his attention to the floor and he watched as the man blinked back to consciousness. "Welcome back," Victor beamed, watching as some nearby men helped the other one up.

"T-thank you," he whispered, breathing heavily.

"Of course, my child," he replied before turning his face and locking eyes with Mulder.

"Are you ready?" he asked with faux charm.

Mulder nodded and started walking towards him, his movements already lighter and freer because of the drink. However, right before he was about to be where the other man was, everything went black.

He blinked a few times, trying to orient himself to his new surroundings. He tried to be more conscious of them this time. It was dark, he couldn't smell the dirt anymore, and it was cold. Nothing physically seemed weird, his limbs didn't feel heavy, nor did his mind feel clouded.

"Fox, Fox, Fox," he heard a voice call out behind him before he was knocked slightly off balance by two arms wrapping around his waist.

He steadied himself as a smile broke out on his face. "Hey, Sam," he greeted, turning around in her embrace so he could kneel down and hug her properly. She was freezing, the same as last time, but it didn't bother him other than out of concern for her.

He kissed her cheek before burying his face into her hair. "I was hoping you'd come back again," she murmured into his shirt.

"I'd do anything to see you," he replied, pulling away and grabbing her hands in his own.

"How old are you now?" Sam asked, her hazel eyes locking onto his.

"How old do you think I am?" he asked, letting go of one of her hands so he could touch the bow holding her hair back.

"Old," she replied, causing him to exhale a laugh.

"I feel old next to you," he chuckled, before answering, "I'm 38."

Her eyes widened comically as she looked at him, her lips quirking into a 'told you so' smile. "How old are you?" he asked out of curiosity.

"14," she replied, lifting her hand to pull on his ear lightly.

"You don't look 14," he replied, confused.

"I can look however I want. I want to be 8," she replied with a shrug.

He scanned her face, she looked the exact same as she did the night he last saw her. Much like the last time, she wasn't making much sense to him. He wanted so badly to understand what she was saying, but he couldn't. "Why 8?" he asked.

"I was happiest," she answered with a smile.

"Sam, what happened to you?" he asked, a lump forming in his throat as if his body already knew the answer his heart and mind were trying desperately to ignore.

She looked at him in disappointment and whined, "Fox, do we have to talk about that?"

Mulder felt the weight of his decision pressing down on his shoulders. He had Samantha here, right in front of him, who better to tell him the truth than her? But if this was the last time he ever got to see her, spend time with her, did he really want to spend it making her upset?

"Okay," he replied softly with a nod. Then, changing the subject, he added: "Can I ask you why you were happiest?"

"Because Mom and Dad left and I got to hang out with you," she replied kindly.

It was a night he'd replayed a million times over. Their parents went next door to the Galbrands' house, he was in charge. He remembered she'd begged him to play Stratego with him and he'd agreed because it meant he could watch _The Magician_ at nine. She was obsessed with some dumb western movie that he didn't want to watch so he just kept news about Watergate on. He'd been mean to her.

"I couldn't have been much fun to hang out with," he admitted in self-deprecation.

She shook her head at him and replied, "Not true."

"I teased you, and I wouldn't let you watch your show," Mulder replied with heavy guilt. It was something that had haunted him for years. She'd just wanted to watch one damn movie, she'd even asked their parents for permission for it, but he wanted to watch an episode of a television show he could never bring himself to watch after that night.

"You always teased me," she laughed. "But you played Stratego with me."

Mulder smiled softly, "You always loved that game, didn't you?"

Her hair bounced as she nodded, her dimples coming through, "Even when you let me win."

He laughed before squeezing her cold hand gently, his tone becoming more somber. "I should never have told you to get out of my life, Sam. I just want you to know I never meant that."

"Duh, I know that, Buttmunch," she teased, rolling her eyes dramatically. Apparently that was the common denominator for the women closest to him.

"I'm Buttmunch, am I?" he laughed, poking her in the side.

A giggle tore from her throat as she backed away, between gasps of breath she yelled, "Yeah, you're Buttmunch."

He tickled her a bit more, laughing along with her as she giggled and tried to twist away from him before she shocked him by throwing her arms around his neck in a hug.

His laugher faded quickly into a nostalgic smile as he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her as tightly as he could without squeezing her. "I love you, Samantha," he stated, rubbing his hand up and down her back. Not even the friction warmed her.

"I love you too, Fox," she sighed, turning her head to kiss his cheek.

A gasp tore from his throat as he blinked his eyes against the harsh light of the basement. His body ached and his limbs were heavy as he tried to move. "Sam-" he rasped.

"Help him get to a chair," Victor's voice commanded above him.

Mulder felt a pair of arms drag him to the side of the room. He watched his feet trail behind him, leaving two long intents in the dirt as he was pulled backwards. He was lifted onto a chair and discarded there, blinking dumbly as he tried to get his bearings.

"Hey," a voice called next to him.

His head lolled to the side, resting limply on his shoulder as he glanced at Randy, who'd pulled up a chair next to him. "Drink this, it's water," the man instructed.

Mulder lifted his hand and noticed it was shaking, not coming up nearly as high as he thought it would. A hand came around the nape of his neck to support his head as he felt the rim of the cup rest on his bottom lip. "Here," Randy murmured. Mulder felt liquid pool into his mouth and he moved his lips to help guide it. "Good job, Robert."

There was a sound of murmuring he heard off in the distance, but he couldn't make out what they said, only Randy's response. "Come on guys, leave me alone. I'm just helping him."

"T-thanks," Mulder rasped, his throat already feeling better.

"Of course," Randy replied. "You looked like you were smiling despite… everything else. Did you have a good time?"

Mulder smiled, his cheek still cool from Samantha's kiss. "Yeah, I did."

_The Thorn Residence_

_The Hallowed Compound_

_9:04 P.M. Wednesday_

After what happened last time he went to a meeting, there was no way in hell Scully'd be able to relax. Instead, she opted for sitting at the dining room table, worrying her nails between her teeth for the better part of an hour. It didn't help that nearing eight, the sound of animals fighting echoed throughout the compound like a chilling death rattle. She knew it wasn't Mulder, too unnatural and inhuman sounding, but it was a grotesque soundtrack to her already overwhelming anxiety.

She trusted that Mulder wasn't purposefully putting himself in harm's way. Scully had no doubt that as far as Mulder was concerned, the group wasn't suspicious of them and there'd never been a murder this early on. But as far as _she_ was concerned: the group hadn't trusted them up until today, someone likely overheard them talking about something private that might've blown their cover, and Mulder was more invested in seeing these visions than the other men were.

Scully had no idea how any of this worked. From Mulder's explanation alone, she would have been convinced he was drugged and hallucinating, but nothing about his physical state led her to believe that was the case. All she knew for sure was that Mulder would do anything, even sacrifice himself, if he thought it would get him closer to finding out the truth about Samantha. He was like a moth drawn to a flame, flying directly towards the thing that would leave him burned. It already had.

She'd never regret the development they'd made in their relationship, but she couldn't deny that his intense focus on finding the Truth was one of the things she'd often come back to while laying in bed at night and weighing the pros and cons of being with him. Pros: she was madly in love with him, no one had made her feel the way he did, sometimes she felt like she may die without him. Con: she couldn't live her life coming second to a mission with no foreseeable end. That was no life to lead.

Scully would support him to the end of the world and back, but she couldn't put her whole life into being just a tertiary part of his.

A knock on the door broke her out of her trance. With what happened last time, she hadn't changed into her pyjamas yet, not wanting to be leered at by any creeps. She unlatched the door and was pleased to see it was Mulder, being gently held up by Randy.

"Hey," she greeted, opening up the screen door to let them in.

"Hi Scully," he murmured, not seeming to recognize that Randy was right there.

Randy just laughed and said, "I thought you said you were a Yankees man?"

Scully'd gotten enough Vin Scully comments in her life to know where Randy's mind went. She laughed awkwardly, playing along and said, "Sometimes he tunes into the Dodgers games."

Randy chuckled before easing Mulder into the chair Scully was just at. "He was doing pretty okay until we were walking here. He threw up."

Scully looked at him and saw the remnants of vomit on the front of his shirt. Her brows furrowed, but she still looked up at Randy with a smile. "Thanks for getting him back to me safely."

"Anytime, ma'am," he responded, kindly. "Do you need any help getting him upstairs? He's a big guy compared to you."

She laughed and shook her head. "I think I can manage from here, thank you though."

He nodded, tilting his cap to her. "Lemme know if you change your mind."

"Will do. Night, Randy," she replied appreciatively. She wasn't sure how helpful Randy would be in the face of real danger, but she had no doubt that man was doing everything in his limited power to help her protect Mulder. She wished she knew more men like him.

After Randy left and the door was locked, she turned back to look at Mulder who was swaying in his seat. "Mulder, are you okay?" he asked, walking towards him.

"Head hurts," he grunted in reply.

She grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, mindful of the vomit. Looking around his body, she didn't see any marks, and he affirmed that assessment himself. "No matchin' tattoos this time," he mumbled.

Scully rolled her eyes, but was grateful nonetheless as her gaze fell on his branded circle. His flesh was still angry even though they took care of it everyday. It stood out starkly on his olive skin and she wondered if she'd ever look at it and not feel uncomfortable.

Leaning forward, she took a big inhale and was met with the sour stench of vomit even without his shirt. "Did you just smell me?" he asked. "Are you makin' a pass?"

"You wish," she chuckled as she pulled on his arm, coaxing him out of his seat. She almost fell over as his weight leaned on her, but she remained steady. "Will you be able to make it up the stairs?" she asked.

"Y-yeah," he nodded, his eyelids hooded.

They stumbled towards the stairs - a walk that should've taken mere seconds instead taking five minutes. "W-wait," he muttered as they got to the base of the stairs.

"What?" she asked, trying to resist as he unhooked his arm from around her.

"I don't wan' you to fall," he slurred. She watched as he leaned forward, placing his hands on the stairs while his knees rested on a few lower. If she wasn't so concerned for him, she'd laugh at the spectacle of Fox Mulder crawling on all fours up the stairs.

It took him a while, but he was able to make it. With every step he climbed up, she was behind him, ready to stop him from slipping and to help him in whatever way possible. It shocked him that Norma said it took her husband five trips before he passed, because she couldn't imagine what Mulder would be like coming back from even another trip.

"You look like hell," she remarked.

"I feel like hell," he chuckled lightly.

He used the walls to help himself stand up, and she was quick to put her hand at the small of his back, guiding him forward so he wouldn't fall down the stairs. He was making a march towards the bedroom and she had to grab onto the waistband of his jeans to stop him. "Hey, hey, no," she murmured.

"Tired," he replied in a monosyllabic whine.

"I know you are, but I need you to take a bath," she replied. "You smell like puke."

He sighed, but he followed her guidance anyway. She led him to the bathroom and flicked on the light, apologizing when it seemed to hurt his eyes. "Are you gonna take one with me?" he yawned.

"I don't think you're up for the sexy fantasy you're creating in your mind," she chuckled, undoing his fly and easing his jeans down. He placed a large hand on her shoulder, using her as support as he stepped out of his pants, and she had to resist buckling to the floor from his weight.

"Too bad," he murmured.

Scully chuckled and stood up, walking to the tub and turning on the faucet. She spent a moment making sure the water wasn't too hot before turning back towards him. He'd taken the initiative to strip his boxers off and she was met with the sight of him standing completely nude in front of her. "Sorry," she gasped, averting her gaze to the towel rack.

She realized she was being ridiculous and he did too as a small laugh resonated in his chest. "I don't want you to be," he replied, walking towards the tub. She helped ease him in but he still slipped a bit when he was almost all the way in, causing some of the water to splash back on her.

"We'll be quick so you can get to bed, okay?" she assured him, brushing her hair back.

She leaned forward and grabbed the body wash they'd been given, pouring a generous amount into her hands before rubbing it onto his torso where she figured he needed to be washed the most. He hummed in the back of his throat in contentment as she quickly worked. Mulder looked like he was about to say something, turning to her only for his gaze to wander down and his eyes to flit somewhere else.

She looked down and saw the splashing of the water had caused her shirt to cling lewdly to her chest, making the already thin, white fabric completely see through. The material clung to her breasts, leaving nothing to the imagination as her nipples stood out prominently. She chuckled at the fact they both were being unnecessarily bashful and a smile quirked on his lips in kind. "I didn't mean to ogle you," he mumbled.

"It's okay if you ogle me. You have permission," she replied.

He turned back to her, looking at her breasts openly just once before his gaze returned to her face. "You're beautiful, Scully."

"So are you, Mulder," she replied, teasingly getting some bubbles onto the tip of his nose and making his whole face scrunch up with a smirk.

Since they were being open, she took a look down and saw that, despite his physical exhaustion, he was hard as a rock. "He likes to come out at inconvenient times," Mulder explained, following her gaze.

"So I've noticed over the years," she teased. If she had a dollar for every time he'd gotten an erection in front of her, she could afford to retire. At the beginning she'd just assumed he had an intense libido, but over time she started to recognize it happened often when they were in close proximity to each other. Car rides were hard for him, to say the least.

His eyes widened as much as they could in his tired state and he whined, "Nooo, I tried so hard to be discreet."

"I don't think discretion is an option at that size," she smirked, lifting one of his arms to rub soap on him.

"Thank you," he smiled, flattered.

Pleased with the comfortable rapport they were having, she added. "But it doesn't help that you get them in your sleep."

"It doesn't help when my partner is the most beautiful woman in the world," he replied, his eyes fluttering shut as he relaxed under her touch.

"Flatterer," she replied, a blush tainting her cheeks.

"Truth-teller," he refuted.

He laid there open and trusting as she continued washing him off. She had to admit she enjoyed being able to touch Mulder this freely, feeling his muscles under her hands while he made occasional sounds of contentment that sounded strongly like pleasure. However, she refused to let her thoughts wander too far while he was so out of it. She finished with his other arm and put her hand in the tub, swishing the water around and rinsing him off. "I'm not going to wash your hair because it seems like a liability with how out of it you are," she explained. "I don't want you to accidentally end up drowning yourself by trying to submerge your head."

"Mmm," he replied sleepily.

She cupped some of the water and gently splashed it in his face, causing him to blink his eyes comically. "I'm up," he replied.

"That's step one, for step two I need you to stand up," she instructed. Scully laid one of the towels across the bathroom floor to give him traction before grabbing his arms and assisting him in standing up. "Go slow, Mulder. I don't want you to fall."

"'Kay," he replied with a small nod.

After careful maneuvering, she got him out and in front of the mirror and counter. "Stay here, okay? I'm going to grab your underwear."

He nodded with a yawn and she sprinted into the bedroom, stripping from her own dress and putting on her nightgown so she wouldn't just get him wet again. She grabbed his boxers and quickly went to the bed, pulling back the covers so she wouldn't have to with Mulder in her arms.

When she came back, he was flicking his index finger between their side-by-side blue and red toothbrushes, a small smirk on his face. "Do you want to brush your teeth?" she asked, moving towards him while extending the elastic of his boxers.

"What? Oh, yeah," he replied mindlessly, holding onto the countertop while stepping into the boxers. She was doing it from behind him, as to avoid being blinded, but she accidentally snagged him with the band on the way up.

"Sorry," she replied, grabbing their toothbrushes and applying toothpaste.

"You're fine," he replied, adding a thanks as he took the toothbrush from her.

She made quick work of brushing her teeth, mentally singing in her head to pass the time. When she went to spit and rinse her brush, she caught sight of Mulder in the mirror basically chewing on his toothbrush instead of actually brushing.

"Jesus," she muttered, putting her toothbrush away and guiding him to sit on the toilet seat. She gently smacked his hand away and pulled his jaw down, taking over for him.

He chuckled, his eyes glimmering with humor as he watched her brush his teeth. "You're hopeless," she murmured.

"Aha," he agreed around the brush, shirking away when she accidentally grazed the roof of his mouth.

"Last time you seemed to get your bearings quicker, you weren't as tired," she remarked.

"Ahndeesai-" he started, only for her to stop and point to the sink.

He stood up and spat before she turned on the faucet and rinsed the brush. "Randy said I was out longer than he'd seen before," he replied.

Her brow furrowed in concern, now curious if it was a matter of time rather than the number of trips that accounted for loss of life. "Let's get you in bed, okay?" she murmured, wrapping her arm around his bath-warmed waist.

"I've always dreamed you'd say that to me," he teased, grabbing her arm for support.

"I think it's better when I'm the one whose sick or hurt, at least you can carry me," she chuckled.

"No," he replied, stumbling a bit.

"No what?" she laughed. "You've definitely carried me before."

He placed a hand on the doorframe, trying to take every opportunity he could to ease his weight off her. "I never want you to be hurt or sick," he grumbled. "I don't like it."

She smiled softly at his sleepy adamance. "How about we both make a deal for neither of us to get injured or sick, because I don't like it when you are either."

"Okay," he nodded, careening forward a bit.

Her hand shot to his abdomen, steadying him as he swayed. "Are you sure you're just tired, Mulder?" she asked, nervously.

"Yeah, I feel like I just ran a marathon," he replied.

"Did you see her?" she asked softly, easing him onto his side of the bed.

He nodded, but his face fell. "What's wrong?" she asked, placing a hand under his chin so he'd look up at her.

"I… I think she might be dead, Scully," he admitted. "For a long time now."

Scully felt her own face fall hearing him say it. It felt poignant coming out of his mouth, like a culmination of years of worry and desperation manifesting into one simple, devastating statement. She'd had the same thought herself, but after seeing how devastated by the idea he'd been after the Roche case, she thought it best to keep to herself. "I'm so sorry, Mulder."

"Me too," he nodded.

A small, somber smile quirked his lips causing her to cock her head to the side. "What is it?" she asked.

"I, um, I've spent so long feeling bad about how I treated her. I was four years older than her and I was a moody brat," he murmured.

"You were a _kid_ , Mulder," she iterated.

Mulder nodded softly. "I've just always worried that the time she did get to spend with her family was tainted by me being a mean older brother, but um," he pursed his mouth to the side, looking away while blinking rapidly. "She told me she was always happy when she was with me." His voice was tight and she could tell he was trying not to cry.

Scully, on the other hand, was not as successful. "Oh, Mulder," she sighed, pulling him to her so she was hugging his head against her abdomen. "Of course she did."

"I was a little girl once upon a time," she whispered. "When I was Samantha's age, I'd follow Bill like I was his shadow. Everything he did was so amazing to me. You probably didn't see it at the time, then she was probably just your annoying little sister, but Samantha was just a girl who adored her brother."

Scully felt a dampness on her abdomen as he nodded, his arms wrapping around her hips. She knew Mulder felt misplaced guilt for not protecting her, but she had no idea he was worried he'd been a bad brother and the newfound knowledge broke her heart. "Mulder, I'm certain you were an amazing brother to her."

He sniffled and leaned away, wiping his face with the back of his hand lazily. Mulder looked up at her, his eyes wide and wet as he whispered, "Thank you."

She cupped his face as she lent down and pressed a sweet, chaste kiss to his lips, pulling back and doing the same to the tip of his nose and his forehead. "You're a great man, and I'm sure you always have been."

"I don't know if I'd go that far, but I've learned I should never doubt you," he chuckled, before yawning.

"Lay down," she commanded.

He eased onto his side, and she crawled over him, scooting up behind him so her front was flush to his back. She grabbed the hem of the bedspread and covered them before wrapping her arm around him. She'd never been the big spoon before, but she wanted to make Mulder feel as secure and safe as he always made her feel.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," he sighed, sounding like he was on the edge of consciousness.

She pressed a kiss to his shoulder blade while stroking the skin of his torso with her thumb. "You'll never have to find out. I'm here," she whispered.


	12. Chapter 12

_The Thorn Residence_

_The Hallowed Compound_

_6:30 A.M. Thursday_

In the past, Scully had thought nothing could bring upon a good night's sleep better than a silk pyjamas set or delving into a good book, but back then she had never experienced what it was like to sleep tucked against Mulder, his arms protectively wrapped around her like a cocoon. They must've shifted in their sleep, but she swore she had never been more comfortable in her life than she was right now with his body heat radiating against her, her body moving occasionally with the rise and fall of his chest.

However, unlike the gentle rhythm she'd fallen asleep to, his breaths were careful and measured - like he was afraid breathing wrong might wake her up. She smiled before pressing a sleepy kiss to his collarbone. "Good morning," she rasped.

"Good morning," he croaked, rubbing his hand up and down her back now that he knew she was awake. His hand shifted the silk of her nightgown against her back and the sensation felt heavenly. She nuzzled against him a bit in comfort, only to feel his own contentment with their position pressing against her abdomen.

"Sorry," he chuckled.

"Don't be. I like it," she replied boldly, shifting her hips against his with purpose.

He moved one hand to cup the base of her skull and tilted her head back by gently pulling on her hair. Mulder was still sleep-ruffled, his hair sticking out every which way while his eyes barely opened, but she could still see the desire written across his face. "I could get used to waking up like this," he murmured before kissing her.

She let her tongue slip out, greeting him eagerly. "Me too," she moaned into his mouth, sliding her top leg over his and coaxing him to roll over onto her. Mulder didn't need to be told twice as he settled comfortably into the vee of her thighs, his hardness pressing intimately against her as he rocked his hips purposefully against her cleft.

"Mulder," she gasped, arching her back as he kissed his way down her sternum. He dragged the thin straps of her dress down her shoulders until her breasts were bared to the morning air, causing her rosy nipples to harden even more.

He licked one nipple teasingly with his tongue before blowing a stream of cool air onto the wetness, causing her to shiver as arousal gushed between her folds. "M-more," she rasped, placing one hand onto the back of his neck encouragingly.

She looked at his face with a smile before watching his head descend to take her other nipple into his mouth. She gasped again for a different reason as her eyeline was filled with a dark figure standing in the doorway.

Mulder hummed against her, thinking it was a gasp of pleasure, but he presumably felt her body freeze and he backed off immediately. "Mu-Robert," she cried out, trying her best to scoot out from under him to cover herself as she motioned towards the door.

He turned his head over his shoulder before lurching into action, violently grabbing the bedspread and flinging it to cover her as he rolled off the bed. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Freddy?"

Scully grabbed the sheet and drew it up to her chin, desperately readjusting the straps of her dress and covertly trying to cover her breasts again while the man leered.

"Don't fucking look at her," Mulder snapped angrily, putting himself in the eyeline between Freddy and her and thus blocking her from the man's view.

Scully didn't know what she was supposed to do right now other than sit there in indignant shock, so that's what she did - just covering herself while watching Mulder loom over the shorter man. "How did you get in here? How long have you been watching us?"

"The front door with the master key, and I'm not entirely sure but long enough," Freddy shrugged, indifferent to Mulder's rage. Scully felt uneasy, both at the knowledge an intimate moment with Mulder had been observed without their knowing, but also at the newfound information that locking their doors had effectively meant nothing this whole time. They were privy to invasion at any time and had no idea.

Mulder took a step forward, looming even closer to the man and seethed, "I don't appreciate you breaking in here, and I don't want you to so much as look at my wife again."

Scully was a feminist by all definitions of the word, but she couldn't deny the flutter in her stomach at seeing Mulder be so overtly territorial over her. Not that she'd ever tell him that. The addition of hearing him refer to her possessively as his wife only heightened that sensation.

"I come with important news," Freddy declared in rebuttal.

"Apparently not important enough for you to just come out and say it instead of voyeuring like a pervert," Mulder spat.

"Everyone in the Hallowed is being called to a mandatory morning meeting," Freddy stated, not even pretending to feel shame about his actions.

"When? Where?" Mulder replied with a sigh.

"The Great Hall," he replied, then looking around Mulder towards the clock on the bedside table, "In twenty minutes."

Mulder apparently mistook the man's action as him trying to take another look at her, because Mulder shot out and grabbed the man by the shoulder, pushing him back so hard that Scully could see the muscles in Mulder's back clench.

"Hey, hey, hey," Freddy tsked. "Don't shoot the messenger."

"Don't make me," Mulder snapped back.

"Twenty minutes," was the only response Scully heard before she saw Mulder shut the bedroom door.

"Are you okay?" he asked, running a hand through his hair.

She loosened her grip on the blanket and let it fall into her lap. "Yeah, are you?" she asked. Now that she was looking at him with the light from the window on him, he looked exhausted. There were bags under his eyes she wasn't used to seeing on his face and he was a little paler than usual. He looked better than he did last night, but not by all that much. Suddenly, Norma's words about her own husband flashed in Scully's mind and her dread grew.

" _I think whatever Victor does drains you a bit. As if you have to give away part of your soul every time you cross over to the other side. Alex got weaker and weaker every time he went, yet the other men who didn't go to the other side seemed stronger, like they stole his energy."_

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied with a weak sigh.

"Are you sure, you don't look-"

"I think it's just from working in the fields every day. I'm not used to being in the sun that much, I guess," he replied.

It was a weak argument, but she knew they didn't have much time for an interrogation right now. Besides, if all went according to plan, they'd be going home today anyway. She just slid out of bed and went over to the wardrobe, easing the straps of her gown over her shoulders before letting it fall in a heap to the floor. As she was grabbing her day-dress, she heard a low whistle as he murmured, "You're going to kill me if you keep that up though."

She looked at him over her shoulder with a coy smile. He was standing just about a foot away from her, his eyes hungrily roaming over her back as his flagging erection started springing back to life. It thrilled her to know she had this influence over him. "I'll need you alive for what I have planned after we're out of here," she replied before turning her head away from him and slipping the dress over her head.

As she was adjusting the dress on herself, she felt his arms slide around her waist while pulling her closer to him. He pressed a firm kiss to the back of her neck, right over the pink little scar she knew resided there. "I look forward to it," he murmured against her skin, his words loaded with meaning.

She turned around in his arms and pressed a kiss to his lips. It was chaste, but still loving. As she pulled away she caught a look of bliss pass over his face before his eyes fluttered open. "Get dressed, I'll meet you downstairs," she whispered before sliding reluctantly out of his arms and making her way to the bathroom.

Scully still didn't feel great about how Mulder looked, so she quickly grabbed a banana for him and made some toast so he could try and get some for his energy up. He split everything in half, insisting she should eat too, and she did just to indulge him.

They didn't have much time, so after they both quickly used the bathroom they began to walk together to the Great Hall. As they made their way there, they ran into Randy and Laurie who began walking in tandem with them. "Morning," Laurie greeted sweetly.

"Morning," Scully replied kindly, offering the girl some of the banana she was eating.

"Are morning meetings commonplace?" Mulder asked while chewing on his food.

"No," Laurie replied through her own mouthful of food. "This is the first time I've ever heard of one."

Scully's brows furrowed at that. Laurie had been there longer than anyone else, so for her to never have experienced this raised warning bells in her head. "Do you think something's wrong?" Scully asked after taking a quick sweep around them. She knew she and Laurie were safe talking in front of Mulder and Randy, but she didn't want to put them in a bad situation if someone saw.

"I don't know ma'am, they seemed awfully excited about this meeting," Randy replied. "I know I am. Anything that can get me off of fence duty is a welcome occurrence."

"Who's they?" Mulder asked, bumping against her on accident from walking so close.

"I dunno their names, some of the older guys knocked on our door about it this morning. They said Victor was calling us all here," Randy shrugged.

Scully looked up at Mulder who was turning to look at her at the same time. _Their home wasn't broken into._ She wanted to hope it was just the different style of their messenger - Freddy was creepier than most - but something in her gut was telling her this was off. As if thinking the same thing, she felt Mulder's fingers interlace with her own so that they were holding hands.

Upon entering the Great Hall, nothing seemed all that different from when they were in there a few days ago during the welcome ceremony. The only difference was that it appeared a table had been overturned on the raised platform and a black cloth was draped over the table's legs. The pews were all pressed to the sides of the room, forcing everyone to crowd around the mock-stage like an old Shakepearian show.

Scully looked around and saw Ed was there alone, no Lorraine in sight. Squeezing Mulder's hand to get his attention, she gestured over to the man and tried to convey that she wanted Mulder to ask him about Annabelle. She wasn't sure if they'd managed to perfect their already impressive nonverbal communication skills or if he was just thinking the same thing as her, but he walked over to the man nonetheless.

"Hey, Ed. Is Lorraine with Annabelle?" Mulder asked.

The man looked at them before his gaze darted to the ground, as if too wrought with emotion to face them. "Yeah, um, the antibiotics seemed to work, but she just looks like she's staying stagnant rather than improving," he replied in a strained voice.

"Can you ask-" Mulder started, only for the man to cut him off while his eyes snapped back on them.

"I did. Last night when I knew the meeting was over I went to Victor's house and begged for him to grant us permission to take her to a hospital and he said no," Ed grumbled. "He seemed so excited and preoccupied that it felt like he wasn't even paying attention to what I was saying."

"Don't lose hope," Mulder replied, his true meaning unknown to the man.

"She's dying," Ed whispered, almost to himself. "And they don't care."

Scully felt a tug on her sleeve and she turned around to see Norma standing behind her. Scully smiled sweetly at the woman, thinking she was just being friendly, but then Norma pulled her back slightly so she could whisper in her ear. "Am I hearing correctly? Annabelle is gravely ill?"

Scully rotated her head so she was at Norma's ear and replied, "In my medical opinion, she has a severe case of pneumonia. She's needed to go to a hospital for days, but Victor refuses to let the Warrens take her." Then, for extra measure, she added, "My husband thinks Victor and some of the other men are prepared for her to die. There's a suspicious plot on the composting site."

Norma turned so that they were face to face, a line of confusion appearing on her forehead. "Composting?"

"Yeah, the plots on the side of the community. Robert said he had to dig a very small plot, about three by three feet, but they just told him it was for composting," Scully replied.

All the color drained from Norma's face as she confirmed her fears, "That's the community grave, Katherine."

"What did you say?" Ed whispered, drawing Scully's attention back to him.

She heard Norma slip away and turned to see she was going over to talk to a group of concerned-looking women. "Did she say you had to dig a grave for my little girl?" Ed asked, facing Mulder.

"They told me it was for composting," Mulder replied in a hushed tone. Scully could tell he was on the same page about trying to spread discontent within the community, and it was working. Ed looked about ready to riot, and there was a cacophony of frantic whispers behind her as the news of Annabelle's condition spread to the rest of the community.

"We don't compost," Ed spat as the sounds of men climbing to the stage boomed in the small hall.

"Thank you everyone for coming here this morning," Victor boomed, clasping his hands together dramatically.

The whispers hushed, but the overall agitation of the group was charging the room. Scully could feel that everyone was still on edge, but much like Pavlov's Dog, knew to be quiet while Victor was speaking.

"I'm sure you all are wondering why you're here," he stated with an unsettling smile. He looked like someone who never felt what it was like to smile authentically, instead replicating what he saw though never managing to get it quite right.

"I trust that all of you know how important our community is?" he posed. A few men replied with affirmative 'amen's', but other than that, the hall was silent. "We are our own little family here, and families should remain loyal to their own above all else," he explained.

He took large sweeping steps across the stage, crossing over the black tarp before standing on the other side of it. "That is why we take it seriously when attempts are made to break our family up," he lamented with feigned severity.

His speech was evocative of a sermon delivered on a pastor's pulpit, but with an added menacing undercurrent. "There was an attempt by _someone_ last night to break us up," Victor stated, a glimmer shining in his eye when the community members started shifting uncomfortably.

Scully felt her throat go dry in fear, and from the way Mulder's hand tightened against hers, he was feeling the same. "However, some of our bravest and strongest men were able to reinforce all of your safety," he sighed in mock relief. "The reason I'm gathering you all here today, is to remind you how dedicated we are to keeping you all safe, and what we will do to any threats to our safety."

He didn't wait for a response before he gripped the black cloth in his fist, ripping it away with a grandiose gesture. Screams emitted alongside boastful cheers as Sheriff Halloran's mutilated corpse was revealed, sprawled out across the underside of the table surrounded by a pool of blood.

All of his limbs were twisted in the wrong direction, one of the bones of his arms completely visible. His face was beaten so badly that Scully could see where his skull had given way and his face was starting to concave inward into a bloody mess, his eyes bulging out of their broken sockets as he stared lifelessly into the crowd.

Mulder turned away in horror at the sight, putting the back of his free hand next to his mouth. She couldn't take her eyes away from the horrific sight, the screams of terror happening around her almost feeling miles away. He was dead because of them, and without him, they might be dead soon too.

"Hush now, hush," Victor demanded, his facade cracking lightly as true anger began to shine through.

"Oh my god," a woman from behind them screamed, beside herself in horror.

"Shut up," Victor yelled. "Don't you understand, this is for you! You have nothing without the Hallowed."

"I'm going to have nothing _with_ the Hallowed! You might not be beating her to death, but you're killing my daughter," Ed screamed, reaching his breaking point.

Many voices from the crowd spoke out in agreement, male and female voices alike. Looking around, it appeared the women were in such abject horror they couldn't contain the illusion of docility anymore, and a few of the men who had always seemed less threatening looked furious.

"Annabelle's not getting better because your faith is wavering," Victor replied coolly. "But you should have no fear. You can always see her after," he replied, as if what he was offering was a completely valid solution.

"What are we supposed to have faith in?" another voice called out. " _You?"_

"You killed my husband!" Norma screamed.

"Your husband was weak," Victor replied, starting to appear overwhelmed by the amount of people lashing out. Scully watched as Mulder looked around quickly, noticing all these people in close proximity were starting an impromptu mutiny.

"You'd be weak without your cronies," Ed shouted before getting shoved to the ground by one of the men standing near him.

Ed kicked the man in the shin, causing him to fall on top of him. After that, everything just became a flurry of motion as men started piling on top of each other - some fighting for Ed and the others for Victor.

Scully looked around and noticed a lot of the women were fleeing the scene, running out of the Hall back towards their homes. Mulder broke away from Scully and kicked the man on top of Ed in the face, grabbing his hand and dragging him away from the group.

"Thanks," Ed rasped, his nose pouring with blood.

Mulder dragged the man away from the brawl towards the exit as Scully followed suit. "Do you know how to hotwire a car?" Mulder asked loudly, trying to be heard over the ruckus.

"Yeah," Ed nodded.

"I think it's best you get your family out of here," Mulder replied, shoving him out of the door.

"I'll send help," Ed replied, nodding firmly before running off towards his house.

Scully looked back at Mulder, noticing he was staring at something intently. Following his gaze, she saw he was looking at Victor being ushered away by Jason and Freddy. "Scully, go to the house, get the guns, and make sure no one stops Ed. Call for help too if you have time," he stated.

"Where are you going?" she asked, even though she had a sinking suspicion.

"I can't let him go," Mulder replied hurriedly. Under normal circumstances, she would have understood, but what he said next was exactly what she feared. "I have to know how he does it. We can't let him get away."

"Why don't I-" she began only to be cut off.

"There's no time," he rasped as Victor disappeared from sight. "Be careful," he pled before taking off, navigating his way around the violent brawl.

"Fuck," she muttered to herself before turning around and running as fast as she could back to their house. Her dress billowed around her as she listened to the sounds of the riot mute into the sounds of her steady breathing. This was not how this was supposed to go, and she was anxious at the thought of Mulder going after Victor without backup.

She needed to get back to him.

Along the way she passed by women who were standing shell-shocked in panic, both at what they saw and what was about to become of their lives. A few turned to look at her, but others stood motionless. Near one of the houses, she saw Randy trying to comfort a sobbing Laurie.

"H-his _face_ ," Laurie hiccuped to the man as she approached.

"Randy," Scully yelled, getting his attention.

"Katherine, where's Rob-" he asked, halting as she held her hand up.

"I need you to listen to me," she demanded, continuing upon his nod. "My name is Special Agent Dana Scully and I'm with the FBI. Robert is my partner, we were sent here to shut down the cult. That dead man was the Sheriff of the neighboring town, our connection to the police."

"Holy shit," Randy exhaled, overwhelmed.

"I don't know what Victor or any of these men might pull now that their plans are toppling down around them. I need you to round up all the women and get them inside a house. I don't care which one, but get them out of the way," she explained.

"O-okay," he nodded, before turning to the girl in his arms. "Laurie, I need your help. You know their names, they'll trust you."

"Laurie, you can do this. I need you to be strong," Scully replied softly but urgently.

Laurie looked up at Scully, her resolve strengthening from the connection alone. "Okay," she nodded, turning to Randy to nod again.

"I'm going to make sure you all get out of this safely, alright?" Scully said before taking off running.

In the distance, she could hear Laurie yelling in a strong, confident voice that mimicked Scully. "Rachel, Brigitte, Ginger, I need you to follow me, okay? You're okay. Be strong, ladies."

"I won't let anything happen to any of you, I promise," Randy added.

 _Who knew she would be relying on Randy after all?_ Scully thought to herself as she ran up the stairs to her place. This was the same kitchen where, less than an hour ago, she'd been rejoicing about their soon to be freedom. She all but jumped onto the counter, nearly falling from the force. She just needed to get the guns and call 911, she thought as she threw open the cabinet doors.

_Only for the cabinet to be empty._

She placed her hand on the bottom of the shelf, grazing the cool wood frantically as if she might manage to make the objects appear from sheer will.

"Hey, girly girl," Tobe cooed lowly from behind her.

She felt her hackles raise as panic washed over her. _Fuck._

She didn't have any time to even turn around when she was thrown off of the counter by his hand yanking on the back of her dress. Instead of falling to the floor, she was held in place mid-air by his strength alone. "I've been missing you," he taunted.

"Let me go," she seethed.

"Okay," he agreed, letting go of her roughly so that she fell onto her stomach on the floor.

Knowing that he was about to lunge at her, she rolled onto her back instead of trying to crawl away, bent her knee before jabbing her foot into his crotch as powerfully as she could.

His face contorted in pain as he fell, but he grabbed her ankle while she was trying to retract it, preventing her from getting away. "That wasn't nice, Katherine," he growled, pulling her towards him.

She fell onto her back as he let all his weight fall onto her shin, causing her to cry out in pain. _He was trying to break her legs. Just like they did to Rosemary when Neil left._ "You've been a fucking tease since you got here," he chuckled, his hands grabbing at her hips.

Looking around, she saw the cord to the toaster was hanging off the counter. Not wanting him to see her movement and stopping her, she tried to distract him. "I'm sorry," she panted, crying out in pain as he pressed his knee more directly onto her bone.

"Oh? Are you?" he asked, his hands slowly moving up her torso.

She laid there, not saying anything in order to give him a sense of false victory, then, as his fingertips barely grazed her breast, she punched him in the throat as quickly and with as much force as she could.

His eyes bulged out of his head as his hands reached up to cup his throat, too taken off guard to do anything but try and catch his breath. Taking this moment, she grabbed the cord as hard as she could, resulting in the toaster slamming across his head. She grabbed it by the middle column before smashing it against his face repeatedly until he fell off of her.

She scrambled to her feet to get away from him, watching as he struggled to gain his bearings. From the way he was fumbling and rolling on the ground, she could tell he didn't have either of the guns or the phone on him. Not wanting to risk him getting back up, nor having any capacity to restrain him, she grabbed a pan from the stove next to her and slammed it over his head for good measure before running out the door.

Scully didn't hear any sounds coming from the house behind her and figured that had been enough to knock him out. However, there was a litany of sounds coming from Randy's house and she figured everyone was safe in there. Moving around her house, she saw tire tracks had ripped up the gravel near Lorraine and Ed's house. _They must be gone already._

Figuring there was nothing else she could do, she ran up the hill, being that was the last direction she'd seen Mulder going. Her lungs burned from all her moving and her shins were screaming for her to stop. A few times she even collapsed from the pain, but scrambled back up to her feet in fear that someone else might come and try to stop her.

As she approached the vineyard, she saw a metal flap amongst the green grass had been lifted. Knowing that must be what Mulder had been talking about when he mentioned the gathering point, she made her way to it, looking around cautiously. The place seemed deserted, some men she didn't know laying face down in the grass nearer to the Great Hall, but aside from that the place seemed devoid of any life.

"Mulder?" she called out hopefully.

She heard a muffled cry of pain and, in a fruitless attempt to have some method of protection, she picked up a nearby branch before making her way down the stairs. As she did, she was greeted with the sight of endless lit candles, the smell of soil making her feel like she was climbing into a fresh grave.

"Hello, Katherine," a voice called from a few yards away. She turned quickly and saw it was Victor standing over a prone Mulder.

"What did you do to him?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly.

"Let me show you," he smirked.

That was the last thing she saw before everything went black.

_The Vineyard_

_The Hallowed Compound_

_7:42 A.M. Thursday_

As soon as Mulder bolted out of the barn to follow Victor and the other two, he'd lost them. They theoretically should've only been a few meters away, but they were nowhere to be seen.

" _Shit,"_ he mumbled under his breath.

He couldn't intake another breath because a strong arm wrapped around his throat, cutting off his air. ""You thought you were pretty clever didn't you, _Mulder?"_ Freddy laughed, stepping in front of him.

Mulder reached up towards the arm cutting off his air and started scratching at it. "What kind of a name is Mulder after all?" Jason jeered, tightening his grip.

"H-how," Mulder sputtered.

"We caught that little piggy last night trying to leave a note by that tree you like to piss at," Jason replied, unaffected by Mulder's attempts to shuck him off.

Freddy pulled a piece of paper from his front pocket and read it: "Mulder and Scully, thanks so much for all you've done. We're so close. Stay strong."

He looked at Mulder before crumbling it up and tossing it on the ground. "We didn't know what it meant, and the sheriff in there wasn't willing to talk," Freddy explained. Jason laughed in response and his hot breath felt wet against the side of Mulder's face.

"But then Freddy here heard your hot little wife moan it this morning," Jason stated lewdly. "It's funny, I thought you were a little simp bitch, but it seems like there's a real man in there after all."

"Spending all day with such a hot slut like that, I would've fucked her until she was raw if I were you," Freddy laughed. "Scully? Is that her real name? I just want to know for later. I think I'll have to fight Tobe for her, but we can share."

"Only if I get a turn, she looks like a tight little thing," Jason chuckled.

Mulder blood was boiling and he only saw red as he raised his hand and grabbed Jason's face behind him. The man laughed until Mulder found what he was looking for. Using his pointer and middle finger, he pushed as hard as he could into Jason's eye sockets, trying to ignore the audible 'pop' and warm wetness coating his hand.

An animalistic scream tore from Jason's throat as he released him. Mulder didn't care to look back at him, instead, lunging at Freddy and tackling him to the ground. The old man wasn't much for a fight and Mulder had him pinned beneath him within a few seconds, but it didn't stop Mulder from punching the man in the face as hard as he could multiple times. "Where's Victor?" Mulder growled.

"You're never going to get out of here alive," Freddy wheezed, still laughing. Mulder punched him again before grabbing him by the shirt and lifting him closer to his face. "Neither will she," the man gargled.

"Is he in the gathering area?" Mulder yelled.

Freddy chuckled a few more times, a wince visible on his face with each inhale. "Why are you asking me if you already know?"

Mulder let Freddy fall back down, turning around and noting some of the other fed-up men had come out and were kicking Jason, who was just laying on the ground clutching his face. They looked like they were ready to have their turn with Freddy, so Mulder just left him where he was, taking off in the direction of the gathering pit.

His lungs were burning, he still hadn't recovered as much as he'd hoped from last night, but there wasn't time to deal with it. It seemed the threat of danger had lessened, the cultists were reclaiming their autonomy and fighting against the shitty people here, and he knew for a fact two of the worst were now out of commission - but he wasn't about to lull himself into a false sense of security.

The most dangerous man was still out there.

He threw open the metal hatch, wincing as his muscles protested against the weight, and all but bounded down the stairs. The candles were still lit, but the flickering of the flames appeared to be the only movement he could detect. His breathing was laboured as he walked around the room with trepidation. If Victor wasn't here, it was likely he'd fled, and even more likely that they'd lost their chance to apprehend him.

"Nice to see you, Robert," a voice greeted from directly behind him.

Mulder whipped around, but his movement was too quick and a surge of dizziness overtook him, causing him to stumble and knock some of the candles onto the floor. "Or should I call you, Mulder?"

"I'd be more interested in what to call you," Mulder rasped, standing up straight even though the world was spinning around him. "Or what you _are,_ more specifically."

"What I am?" Victor laughed, genuinely appearing amused by the question. "What do you think I am?"

"What you do isn't normal," Mulder replied.

"What I do is give people abandoned by society a chance to find purpose again. I give people a chance to experience something bigger than themselves. A chance to go beyond the constraints of the mortal coil," Victor replied harshly.

"How?" Mulder replied.

"Because I'm one of God's chosen lucky ones. What I am is beyond your comprehension," he replied, glaring at Mulder.

"I've heard there are people who, when experiencing a certain level of pain, think they are somewhere else. A form of dissociation that-" Mulder explained, only to be cut off.

"You don't think that's true," Victor stated.

Mulder sighed, annoyed. "How else are you doing it? How else would you know who we want to see?"

"I told you, I don't control who you see on the other side. I just know if you have a desire to visit," he explained.

Mulder's jaw clenched at the futility of this, "So you're a glorified bus driver?"

Victor looked offended, and a sadistic smile spread across his face. There was something so unsettling about the sight that Mulder had to look away, as if he was staring into the face of pure evil. "Oh, I can do more than simply transport people. Why don't I show you?"

Mulder glanced up to look at the man, but as soon as his eyes locked with Victor's he couldn't see in front of himself, though everything else seemed normal. It wasn't the darkness that occurred on the other side, everything was just pitch black nothingness. _He was blind_. He could hear Victor laughing, he could smell the soot and musk of the basement. Mulder reached out a hand, only to retract it immediately upon burning himself on some candles.

Soothing the wound with his other hand, he asked, "What did you do to me?"

"I've always found death lore to be rather trite," Victor replied, ignoring his question. "Myths of the underworld so often define life and death as binary, that there can be such a thing as a singular transitory period between one to the other. The two are not mutually exclusive."

"What are you saying?" Mulder replied, rapidly blinking almost involuntarily as his body tried to surmise what happened.

"I'm saying life and death are one. The dead aren't gone, you just don't know how to see them like I do," Victor answered.

"Well you've made it a little hard for me to see anything right now," Mulder snapped. "But I still don't understand how you do this."

"Because I'm a-" he replied, but upon the last word Mulder's eyes flooded with light as everything went silent.

He watched as Victor's mouth closed, that sinister smile returning. "What?" Mulder asked. Only, nothing came out. His mouth moved, but he heard nothing, not even in his own head.

_He was deaf. Victor was depriving him of his senses one sense at a time._

He raised his hand to his throat and repeated what he said. He felt the vibrations of his vocal chords, that the words were coming out, but he couldn't hear it.

"I'm sick of playing games," he hoped he said, not knowing if he truly was speaking.

He focused on the movement of Victor's lips, trying to latch onto any word. But the man was speaking too fast and Mulder couldn't keep up. From the way Victor appeared to be gloating, he knew it was what he wanted to hear. He was telling Mulder the truth. He just wouldn't let him hear it.

"This is ridiculous," Mulder yelled, his ears ringing with the sound as his sense came rushing back to him. He blinked rapidly in surprise, opening and closing his mouth while snapping his fingers next to his ears.

"No, it was ridiculous for you and that woman to come and assume you could make a difference," Victor seethed.

"You think we didn't make a difference? Then what the hell would you call your 'children' out their rioting over your mistreatment? A show of support?" he asked, on edge for what might happen to his body next.

Victor slapped him, but it didn't even register. He saw the room move as he fell, but he didn't feel the impact. "Knock it off," he said, only for it to come out as an anguished moan. He couldn't move his lips. Mulder tried to touch his hand to his mouth, but it didn't move. Or maybe it moved, but he couldn't feel it.

The room shifted and suddenly he was staring at the ceiling. From the sound of it, Victor had kicked him in the side with his shoe and rolled him onto his back. He tried to get up, but to the same effect. He couldn't feel a single thing.

"I would call it a momentary setback," Victor sighed, looking down at him like a disappointed parent.

"Mulder?" he heard Scully call out, fear evident in her breathless voice.

"Run!" he screamed. Tried to scream, more accurately.

She must've misunderstood it as a cry of pain, because he heard the sounds of her feet scrambling down the stairs. As she descended, all he could see was Victor's eyes light up. Mulder tried to beg with his eyes: _Not her, not her, not her._ But it was for naught as Victor stood up slowly.

"Hello, Katherine," he greeted cooly.

"What did you do to him?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly.

"Let me show you," he replied.

Mulder wanted to die as he heard the sound of her body crumple to the floor.

_The Other Side_

_Elsewhere_

_Always_

Scully couldn't see. Well, maybe she could, but there was nothing _to_ see. She felt encased by darkness even though moments ago she'd been standing in the cellar with Victor and Mulder. She looked down at her hands, which had just been holding onto a branch, yet now they were empty. She felt like this was a dream, yet every cell in her body was screaming that she was awake. She even pinched herself for good measure and watched as her skin snapped into place, two white marks from the pressure of her fingers fading into a red mark on her skin.

_Where the hell was she?_

"What did you do to me?" she yelled, but her voice sounded distorted, as if she was screaming underwater, yet she was breathing.

"You're Fox's friend," a child's voice called out from behind her.

She turned around and felt her hair stand on end. Less than a foot in front of her, she saw the flesh and blood visage of a picture she'd spent years looking at.

"Samantha?" she whispered.

"You're… _Scully_ , right?" she asked, playing with the ends of her hair shyly.

"I-I am," Scully whispered in awe, taking a step closer to her before easing herself on her knees so the little girl could look at her eye to eye.

"That's a weird name," she replied.

Scully smiled and nodded, silent for a moment as she looked at the girl. "You can call me Dana, okay?"

"Okay," she replied, smiling sweetly.

"Is your name Samantha?" Scully repeated. She nodded and Scully felt overwhelmed even though in her gut she already knew the answer.

She remembered the girl's recognition and was struck by the fear this was Victor trying to trick her. "How did you know who I was?"

"My brother's always with you," she answered. "I like your hair."

Scully couldn't help but smile at the child. She was sweet, and she was so starkly Mulder's sister, it was overwhelming. The eyes in particular were so similar she felt like she was staring at Mulder himself. "Thank you, I like yours. Did you do it yourself?"

She shook her head. "No, I got Buttmunch to do it," she said with a smile. "Mommy can't get the bows right."

"Buttmunch?" Scully asked with an exhalation of laughter.

Samantha laughed in response and clarified, "Fox. He's always teasing me 'cause he's older, so I like to call him Buttmunch.""

A small smile quirked Scully's lips at the silly familial fighting. She had spent so long thinking of Mulder's grief at the girl's absence that she hadn't spent as much time thinking about Mulder as an older brother with a little sister. It was sweet and it made her heart ache. "Fox loves you so much," she whispered.

"He's the best brother in the whole world," Samantha replied, accepting Scully's hand when she reached out.

"He's spent years looking for you," Scully replied. "Where'd you go?"

Samantha raised her free hand and touched Scully's sternum. She was about to look down when she felt the silver chain of her necklace tug on the back of her neck and she knew the girl was toying with her cross. "You already know," she replied quietly.

Scully reached up and brushed the girl's wavy hair behind her ear, causing her hazel eyes to look back at her. "I'm so sorry," Scully whispered. Sorry for what she couldn't specify because the things she was sorry for were too numerous. She was sorry a girl's life was taken too soon, that she never got to live, sorry for all the memories with her brother she never got.

"I'm not," she replied with a smile, letting go of Scully's cross. "I'm happy here."

"Are you lonely?" Scully asked, rubbing the girls hands to try to give her some of her own warmth to no avail.

"No, there's a lot of people here," Samantha said, looking up.

Scully looked up and only saw what looked like a bunch of stars twinkling in the sky. Even through the darkness, their illumination was bright and she realized that was what was casting light on them.

"But sometimes I know Fox is," she added.

"You can see him?" she asked. She was still confused about this whole thing, but it felt too real for her to discredit.

Samantha nodded, her pink little bows bouncing slightly. "Sometimes we check on him. I just don't want him to be sad anymore."

"Me either," Scully agreed quietly.

"But he's never sad or lonely when he's with you," Samantha replied with a hopeful intonation.

"That makes me happy," she replied sweetly to the girl.

Samantha shifted one foot from the other, an excitement lighting up in her eyes. "Can I tell you something?" she asked, whispering even though they were alone.

"Anything, sweetheart," Scully nodded.

The girl rested her free hand on Scully's shoulder and Scully leaned her head forward so the girl could whisper in her ear, "He loves you."

Scully let out a little exhalation of a laugh before pulling back and meeting the girl's bright and earnest stare. "Can I tell you a secret?" she asked.

Samantha looked honored to be asked and a beaming smile broke out on her face as she leaned towards Scully. "I love him too."

"I knew it!" the girl cried out, leaning away and causing Scully to laugh.

"Can you make me another promise?" Samantha asked, her face turning serious.

Scully nodded and looked as the girl held up her pinky. _Oh it was serious_. Scully interlocked her pinky with Samantha's tinier one. "Will you make sure he's happy?I don't want him to be sad about me anymore," she whispered guiltily.

"I can promise I'll try everything I can to make him happy, but I think he'll always be a little sad," she answered honestly.

"But I don't want him to be," she replied with a frown.

"He'll always miss you," Scully replied, caressing Samantha's hair. "It's not a bad sadness. Mul-Fox just loves you so much because you were such a good sister. He'll always wish you were here, but it doesn't mean he's unhappy," she explained.

Samantha seemed appeased by this knowledge and she nodded. Scully blinked and suddenly Samantha looked older. If it weren't for their hands remaining joined and those Mulder-eyes, she might've thought it was a different little girl altogether. "He'll see me again someday," she replied with a coy smile.

Scully was still shocked at the transformation, but leaned in as Samantha pressed a kiss to her cheek, her lips suddenly warm against her skin. She watched as Samantha pulled back, now appearing like she was glowing. Samantha squeezed Scully's hand, just like Mulder often did before looking up into the sky. She looked back at Scully with a beaming smile. "By the way, I've heard you're a great sister too."

Scully felt her breath catch in her throat. "Wh-" she began, only for her to have to avert her eyes as Samantha became too bright to look at before shooting up into the sky.

Scully stood up, shocked at what just happened. Looking up, she saw all the stars above her were glinting and shining, like a twinkling strand of Christmas lights.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Then suddenly she felt claustrophobic and immobile. Blinking her eyes rapidly, she saw she was back in the basement, laying on the floor with a weight sprawled haphazardly across her.

She looked down and saw Victor's lifeless eyes staring at her, a warm wetness coating her stomach. Scully gasped and scrambled away from the body, screaming when she felt a hand grab her elbow.

"Sorry," a familiar voice apologized.

Turning, she saw it was Rosemary, looking at her with wide eyes as she held a gun in her hand. _Scully's gun._ "I just saw you on the floor and shot him, I didn't mean for him to fall on you," she explained.

Scully gently touched the woman's hand, easing the gun from her trembling grasp before putting on the safety. "Where did you get this?" Scully asked, rubbing her hand on Rosemary's arm in an attempt to calm her down.

"I-I saw you, yesterday. I'm sorry. Jason forgot to lock the door so I wanted to come talk to you, but I saw you through the window. Then when all that shit went down at the Great Hall, I just ran so I could call 911," she explained.

"Did you?" Scully asked.

"Yeah, t-the police are all outside," she nodded.

"Where's the other gun?" Scully asked.

"I saw Laurie trying to herd everyone, and I know you like her, so I gave it to her and her husband to protect everyone," she replied. "I gave them the phone too, so they could be in contact with the police."

Scully felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders, "You did great, Rosemary."

"-cullee," a voice whined from behind them.

Scully turned around and saw Mulder was sitting up, clutching his head. "Mulder," she gasped, rushing to him and all but falling to her knees. "Are you okay?"

He looked up at her, one pupil blown out, and smiled weakly, "I'm so happy to see you."

Scully looked at Rosemary and pled, "Can you tell one of the policemen that we need emergency medical attention?"

Rosemary nodded and scrambled up the stairs. She turned her attention back to Mulder and smoothed his hair with her hand. "Scully," he groaned.

"I'm here, Mulder," she comforted, pulling him to her. She tried her best to shift them away from Victor's body and the still-expanding pool of blood. Mulder leaned his head slightly to look and let out a sigh of relief.

"D-Did you see?" he asked hopefully.

With a small smile she nodded. "Yes, Mulder. I saw."

"About damn time," he chuckled weakly as the paramedics bounded down the stairs.

"We're safe," she whispered, kissing his temple.


	13. Chapter 13

_Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center_

_501 S Buena Vista Street_

_Burbank, CA_

_10:13 A.M. Thursday_

Mulder was taken for an extensive evaluation upon arriving at the hospital an hour previously. The hospital staff was overwhelmed by the sudden influx of nearly fifty patients at once, but it soon became apparent that only a handful of the men were actually injured and required immediate attention.

Scully flashed her badge alongside the mourning police department, and explained that they were going to need a room designated for the women and children, and a separate room for the men. She wasn't meaning to segregate them like they had been at the compound, but Scully found it vital to call in several rape crisis counselors so the women could all be evaluated.

Many didn't have immediate physical injuries, but Scully wanted them to have an opportunity to speak with a doctor and a counselor so they could start processing what happened to them. Plus, most of these were arranged marriages in the first place, and Scully didn't want any of the women to start panicking and going back to the person they were forced to be with out of any sense of Stockholm syndrome. She wanted them to know everything that happened from this point forward would happen on their own accord.

All of them had to change and deposit their cult clothes for evidence. All of the women except herself were given hospital gowns because they would be going into an appointment as soon as it was their time, receiving the same sweatshirts and sweatpants as Scully after their exam.

She noticed a lot of the women were rubbing their legs together and it took her awhile to realize it was because they hadn't experienced what pants felt like in so long or, in some cases, ever. Scully noticed several small things like that as she watched them. The extreme fascination with magazines, the children's abundant joy playing with the hospital's toys, small things she'd always taken for granted that she hadn't even thought twice about before.

" _Kent Shocknek here with breaking news._ _A local cult has been raided by the FBI. Reports of fugitive harboring, domestic violence cases, aggravated assaults, are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the crimes being committed by 'The Hallowed' group members. All led by a man named Victor Miller who was pronounced dead on arrival."_

Scully looked up and noticed the story had gone public, the small television in the corner of the room broadcasting the story that had been the painful reality for everyone in the room. An awkward tension fell as everyone stilled in their seats, merely the mention of the leader and the cult enough to put them all on edge.

"Can you turn that off?" Scully asked softly, walking up to the nurses station.

The nurses were already on it, quickly scrambling for the remote and turning the station. They ended on PBS as the theme to _Arthur_ started playing, captivating the attention of all the kids in the room as they watched television for the first time. Hell, it was probably the first time they'd ever seen a cartoon.

"Bunny!" one of the kids squealed in excitement when Arthur's friend popped on the screen.

Scully smiled at their enthusiasm as they all started beaming, overwhelmed by the bright colors and cute characters. "What's that mama?" one of the kids asked.

"I-I don't know," the woman shrugged.

"He's an anteater," Scully replied, walking past them to go to talk to the police.

"Ew! He eats ants," a girl yelled in exaggerated disgust as the door closed behind her.

Scully walked a few doors down, knocking lightly before walking in. Sitting in the middle of the bed was an awake and alert Annabelle framed by a parent sitting in a chair on either side of her bed. "Hello everybody," she greeted quietly. Checking to see if they made it was one of the first things she'd done when she got to the hospital, and she was pleased to see she was taken care of right away.

Lorraine and Ed beamed at her as she stood at the edge of Annabelle's bed, picking up the girl's chart once more. "They said she wouldn't have made it another day," Ed stated, his voice wavering slightly.

"They said without the antibiotics she might've not lasted this long," Lorraine replied.

Scully looked at the chart and nodded at the assessment. Annabelle's vitals were extremely low, but she was getting fluids put back in her system with a good dose of medicine. "I'm glad I could help," she smiled, setting the chart down.

"Has anyone given you any updates about the case?" she asked, looking between them both.

"No, I've been scared to ask," Ed replied.

"I've explained the bind many people were put into, how impossible the cult made it to leave lest someone you love suffer," Scully stated, noting how nervous they both were.

"But..?" Lorraine asked, trailing off.

Scully smiled reassuringly. "It's convoluted, and we'll need to get testimonies from everyone since it's very much a case by case basis, but I imagine most people will be given clemency due to the circumstances."

"What does that mean?" Ed asked, a glimmer of hope passing over his eyes.

"It means the violent offenders and people who committed crimes while in the cult are the only people who need to worry," Scully affirmed. "Everyone else will get assistance from the local women's and family shelters to start reintegrating with society and start their new lives."

"B-but I helped recruit people. Without me, Victor wouldn't have had people to choose from and bring in," Ed murmured.

"What would've happened if you said no? Or tried to get out?" Scully challenged.

Ed said nothing, but Lorraine spoke up, "He would've been hurt or worse and I would've been punished for it."

Scully nodded firmly, "And that's exactly what I told the DA who agreed you were a victim in this as well."

"S-so we're okay?" Lorraine asked, her voice cracking. "We can stay together?"

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation and Scully turned to see one of the family crisis counselors, "Agent Scully, is this the family you were telling me about?"

"Yes, it is," Scully nodded before turning to Lorraine with a smile. "You'll stay together."

Lorraine stood up with a sob and rushed over to Scully, throwing her arms around her. "I can never repay you for what you've done," she whispered, her voice quivering.

Scully hugged her in return. "You and your family deserve a second chance," she replied, rubbing her hands up and down her back.

She let go and watched as Lorraine went over to Ed, whose head was in his hands as he sobbed in relief. "I'll let you guys talk to the counselor. She's going to give you my card, and I want you to know you can always call me if you need something."

"Bye bye, Katherine," Annabelle called from the bed, waving her chubby hand in the air. The girl still couldn't quite grasp that 'Katherine' was an FBI agent, and Scully didn't mind.

"Bye bye, Annabelle. Feel better, okay?" Scully replied in a high pitched voice.

She walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Turning around, she was met with the sight of a group of people frantically hounding the policeman stationed a few meters away. They were holding a piece of paper up to his face pointing and looking around in desperation. "I-I can't tell you anything yet. Please, can you take a seat and I'll get you with someone as soon as I can."

"Is everything alright?" Scully asked, walking towards them.

Before the man had a chance to reply, one of the women rushed up to Scully. "Do you know my daughter? Her name's Norma. We-we saw her on the news broadcast. I-is she here?" she asked frantically.

"You're… You're Norma's family?" Scully asked in shock, looking around at all the people.

"Yes, we haven't seen her in years," the woman sniffed. "We feared the worst, but we never gave up hope."

Scully felt her chest tighten in emotion. "Norma didn't know how to find you all," she replied.

A man standing behind Norma's mother asked, "So you know her? Is she here?"

Scully turned and asked the guard, "Is there a free room?"

He pointed to a room across the hall and she asked them to wait in there while she got their daughter. All but running, she opened the doors to the main room and said, "Norma can I see you?"

The woman had been sitting in the corner of the room all day, nervously looking out the window while biting all of her nails off. She turned her head and, upon seeing it was Scully calling for her, smiled and walked over. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just have something I want to show you," Scully replied. She didn't want to say anything to give away the surprise, so instead, she took the woman's hand and led her down the hall.

"Your bruises look like they're healing," Norma stated, letting her hands gently stroke Scully's wrists.

"Your ice packs definitely helped," Scully replied kindly, before stopping a few feet away and pointing at the door. "You should go in there," she requested softly.

"A surprise?" Norma said with a skeptical laugh walking forward and pointing at the door.

"Mhm," Scully nodded.

She watched as the woman smiled, opening up the door, only for her smile to disappear as her face contorted into a sob. Her legs gave out as she fell to the ground, her sobbing family swarming around her. "Mom," Norma cried, clutching onto the woman hugging her.

Scully turned away, not wanting to invade, but she felt her heart threaten to burst from her chest at the sight. Her attention was caught by Rosemary who was talking to an officer at the end of the hall, looking around like a caged animal while shaking her head.

"Hey, what's going on?" Scully called out.

Rosemary looked from her back to the officer and Scully motioned for the officer to leave. Which he did, only after saying, "Okay miss, but he's in the waiting room when you're ready."

Scully turned to Rosemary with excitement. "Neil's here?" she asked.

Rosemary looked like a skittish doe, her eyes wide and wet as she nodded. "Aren't you happy?" Scully asked, her tone dropping in confusion.

"W-what if he's disappointed?" Rosemary whispered.

Scully's brow furrowed as she shook her head in disbelief. "How coul-"

"I'm different now," she replied, scratching her arm nervously.

Realization hit Scully like a train and she shook her head adamantly. "N-no, Rosemary. Don't think like that, he just wants you to be okay," she reassured, placing her hand on the woman's to halt her movement.

"But I'm not," Rosemary sobbed. "I've always been so happy with him, b-but I feel broken now, and Jason did so much to me. I'm just scared he will expect me to come back like I was and I don't know if I can ever be her again."

Scully cupped one of Rosemary's cheeks before brushing a strand of hair behind her face. "Rosemary, Neil thought you were dead," she admitted.

"What?" she whispered in horror.

"When he came and they couldn't find you, he's been fearing the worst. I don't know him personally, but I'm willing to say the man I saw is still recovering from his own trauma too," Scully assured.

"Really?" she asked, chewing on her lip.

"He wouldn't speak unless someone gave him permission, he was meek, he seemed uncomfortable having any form of attention on him," Scully replied. "Does that sound like the Neil you know?"

"No," Rosemary replied, worry painting her features.

Scully rubbed the woman's arm comfortingly. "There's no way someone can come out of something like this without mental scars. The man called up the FBI just to avenge what he thought might be your death. I can't see him being anything other than elated to see his strong wife came out on the winning side of this and is surviving."

Rosemary chuffed a nervous laugh. "I don't know if I'd say strong."

"Rosemary, if you hadn't called the police or saved me and my partner, it's likely Victor could have escaped and tricked them all into following him. Everyone here owes their life to you," Scully stated firmly before adding, "I never properly thanked you for saving my life."

"I never properly thanked you for saving mine," she replied sweetly.

"Rosemary?" a voice called from down the hall.

Scully recognized the voice without having to turn, so she just watched Rosemary as her face lit up. Tears pouring down her cheeks immediately. "Neil!" she called out, emotion overtaking her. Scully let go of her and watched as she ran down the hall, all but jumping in Neil's outstretched arms as they swayed in place, clinging onto each other like they were afraid to let go.

"Agent Scully?" a voice called from beside her.

Scully turned and saw a nurse standing next to her. "Your partner wants to see you."

_Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center Room 316_

_501 S Buena Vista Street_

_Burbank, CA_

_10:45 A.M. Thursday_

_Scully_. She was the first thing he thought of when he woke up, and the only thing the nurses and doctors heard until one of them was sent to go find her.

" _Where's Scully?"_

" _Is she okay?"_

" _I need Scully."_

He wasn't sure what day or time it was, but he knew she was somewhere close.

He felt significantly better than he had in a while, and he trusted it was because of the IV attached to his arms. Though part of it he had to attribute to finally getting away from that godforsaken place.

He heard someone scurrying down the hall and smiled when he heard Scully breathlessly ask, "Is he in here?"

The door opened and Scully rushed in, wearing a pair of hospital-sweats that she still managed to look radiant in. "Hey, partner," he greeted.

"Hey," she replied, relief at seeing him washing the worry from her face. She closed the door behind her before walking over to the foot of his bed and checking out his chart.

"They told me it was exhaustion," he informed her, even though he knew she could tell as much from the form.

She nodded, adding, "Your electrolytes were out of whack." Scully set the chart down and walked over to the bed, hopping up so she could sit by his hip, grabbing his hand in hers and tapping his thumb.

"I feel better now," he stated softly, squeezing her hand.

"Me too," she nodded. "It seems everyone's getting a happy ending. Almost everyone is getting assistance transitioning out of the cult, the people who were cruel are getting detained, and Victor can't hurt anyone anymore."

"Did he hurt you when you were in the basement?" he asked.

She shrugged, "Not really. I'm a little tired, but you know the feeling."

"So you did go to the other side," he replied. He knew she'd experienced Victor's power, but he hadn't been sure if he just took away her senses or if she got to experience what he had.

"I-I," she stammered as if she was moving to try to justify the experience before shaking her head in acceptance. "I did," she admitted, sounding surprised herself.

"What did you see?" he asked, then clarifying, " _Who_ did you see?"

Randy made it sound like you could see multiple people at once and he was curious if Scully might've. He knew there were a lot of people Scully missed in her life. Mulder was curious about who would have been the most important for her to see if it was only one.

Though the name that came out of her mouth took his breath away.

"Samantha," she stated gently.

He felt his mouth fall open before shutting again, barely able to wrap his mind around it. "Samantha?" he repeated in disbelief.

She nodded and he still felt shocked. "Why did you see her? Not your dad? Or Melissa? Or Em-," he paused a moment before apologizing. "I'm sorry." Even though it had been over two years, he knew Scully thought about her often. Every time they passed a little girl he could see the mourning in her eyes.

She shook her head to dismiss his guilt. "You're fine. I was wondering the same thing myself."

"Randy told me he thought you'd see someone you had unfinished business with," he offered.

"That would make sense, remember Neil's anecdote? He said he wanted to apologize to the cyclist. He didn't even know her," she nodded. "I don't think it's whomever is closest to you, I think it was people you needed to say something to. He needed to apologize, you needed to know what happened to Samantha. I think it's an opportunity for closure, and I think that's why I didn't see them," she explained slowly, clearly unfamiliar with being the one with an unusual explanation.

"There's nothing you'd say to your dad? Melissa?" he asked.

"I, um," she paused, swallowing her emotions. "I've spent a lot of time worrying about if my father was proud of me, and I'm not sure if I'll ever stop thinking about what might've been different if I hadn't left my apartment that night Melissa came. But... I know if I'm being honest with myself, my dad would be happy as long as I am, and I know Melissa would never blame me for what happened."

He nodded, digesting her words before softly asking, "Why did you need closure with Sam? You didn't know her."

She paused, staring off into the distance before meeting his eyes. "You mean so much to me, and she means so much to you. I wasn't lying when I told you I'm in this with you, I want to know the truth too," she replied, giving him a soft smile.

Mulder felt his heart threaten to burst in his chest with adoration for the woman in front of him. "Thank you," he whispered, bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing it.

"I still don't know what it was or how he did it or why it felt so real, but everything seems to point to Victor playing with our subconscious desires," Scully replied with a sigh.

"But it felt so real," he replied, shaking his head.

"I know, but there's no way to explain it," she replied.

"I guess we'll never get to find out," he replied with a sigh. It seemed to always work out that way. "Can I ask you something though?" he added, gently. "Um, what did you and Sam talk about? I'm just curious. I mean, if it was him playing with our mind, you don't even really have memories to go off of." He was curious what her subconscious would've wanted to get from talking to Sam.

"She wanted you to be happy," Scully replied, with a somber smile.

"If your theory is right, was that your subconscious speaking?" he asked, challenging her.

Scully mused thoughtfully on his comment, looking at the wall in front of her as if the answer might manifest before her eyes. "I think," she began, inhaling slowly. "I've always feared you wouldn't want to have a life outside of trying to find her," she admitted.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his brows furrowing.

Mulder could tell whatever she was summoning the courage to say was something that had been on her mind for a while. "I've imagined having something more with you for a while now, Mulder," she stated softly, grinning as he smiled reflexively. "I imagined what it would be like to be partners in every sense of the word, what it would be like to have a home together, to spend our lives together," she mused.

He swallowed nervously, "But?"

"But," she repeated. "I always feared I might not be enough. That I'd always come second to your work," she whispered her admission while looking at his hospital gown and he felt his heart break.

The woman he'd loved for years was sitting in front of him telling him that she wanted a life together, but he'd been so stubborn he'd been hindering his own chance at happiness.

_God, he was stupid._

"Scully," he whispered, getting her attention. Her bright, blue eyes darted up to look at him and the intensity of her stare almost took his breath away. "There's nothing I want more in the world than to spend the rest of my life with you," he stated firmly. "I'm so sorry I've ever made you feel like you weren't important."

He watched her face light up at his words, and it was a sight he cherished. "I'm always happy when I'm with you," he added.

Her eyebrow quirked as she smiled, "Samantha said that too."

"Because you know it's true, Scully. You're my everything," he replied.

"And you are mine," she murmured. "I'll always be by your side, searching for whatever answers you need to find, I hope you know that."

"Even though we didn't get any definitive answers, I think I do feel a bit of closure from the whole thing," he admitted.

Scully smiled at him and nodded, "Me too."

Then Scully started chuckling lightly to herself and Mulder smiled in response. "What?" he asked.

"She called you Buttmunch," Scully laughed. "I don't know where my subconscious was there. I don't think I have ever heard that term in my entire life."

Her laughter faded when she caught Mulder's smile fall. "What?" she asked, clearly concerned she'd said something wrong.

"I-I never told you she called me that," he replied. He'd shared a lot of details with her over the years, but he was positive he never told her that. He never even mentioned it during his regressions.

"What do you mean?" Scully replied.

He sat up straighter and said, "That was what she used to call me because I used-"

"-to tease her all the time," they finished in sync.

"Who used to do her hair?" Scully asked, sounding like she was testing him.

"Me," he replied.

Scully nodded, as if expecting that answer. "She said your mom was too impatient."

"I've never told you that either," Mulder added, his heart starting to race.

They both shared a look. She couldn't have made up something so specific, let alone two things. "What else happened?" he asked, his voice a little breathless from emotion.

She looked a little shy, shifting in her seat before stating, "I promised her I would try to keep you from being sad, and it seemed to make her feel better. Then she just... shot up into the sky."

"Shot up into the sky?" he repeated quizzically.

"I don't know how to explain it," she replied. "It's like she turned into starlight." Then, with wide eyes she looked into his eyes and whispered, "You've always said souls reside in starlight."

He let his head fall back as he let out a low breath. It was comforting, but at the root of it was a possibility he'd been trying so hard to push aside. _She was dead._

As if Scully sensed the conclusion he came to, she lamented, "I'm so sorry, Mulder."

A poignant smile quirked his lips as he looked at her. "I still want to know what happened to her, but it helps knowing she's not suffering at least. I think I've been expecting the worst all these years."

"You're right," she nodded, her bottom lip pouting. "Are you okay?'

"It's a lot to process, but yeah, as much as I can be," he smiled.

She seemed pleased by his answer as she idly smoothed out the hospital bedspread in front of her. The movement caused him to notice the bruises encircling her wrists and he was reminded of another topic that had been on his mind.

"Can I ask you something that's been bothering me?" he asked delicately.

"Of course," she replied, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand.

"What happened yesterday?" he asked gently.

Her head cocked to the side and she raised an eyebrow. "When?"

"When I picked you up from your friend's house and we went to check on Annabelle. I could tell you'd been crying. It looked like you'd been really upset, but you said we could talk about it later."

"Oh," she said softly, her demeanor shifting. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, but the thought of her reddened face and wet eyes still made his heart sink.

She inhaled a long breath before exhaling slowly, looking down at her lap. "We don't have to talk about it right now if you don't want to," he offered, rubbing her back.

Scully looked over at him and smiled. "No, um. I want to tell you," she replied, though the words didn't seem to come out easily. "I've been having a hard time," she whispered, so softly he almost didn't hear it.

He sat up straighter, grabbing one of her hands to hold again. "With what?" he murmured.

"I haven't felt like myself since Pfaster attacked me," she replied, wincing as the words came out of her mouth.

He felt his hackles raise at the name, the thought of that man still affecting her from beyond the grave bothering him beyond measure. "Is it about what you had to do? You had no choice, Scully," he comforted, only for her to shake her head in response.

"No, it's not that," she sighed before turning to look him in the eye. "Did you read my statement?"

He'd wanted to. Every fibre of his being wanted to know every detail in and out of the case, but it felt like an invasion of her privacy - something that had been invaded far too often as of late. "I wanted to, but I decided I'd rather hear it from you whenever you were ready. You've told me the bare bones of what happened."

"Thank you," she smiled, but the smile faded fast as she licked her lips. "Um, when he had me pinned on the ground, he told me I was the one who got away."

Scully looked at his face, her pain exposed as her eyes bore into his. "He told me I was all he thought about."

Mulder felt goosebumps litter his arms. He hated that man almost more than anyone. He didn't have a chance to react before she continued: "What bothers me more than that is the fact that he's all I think about."

"What do you mean?" he asked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I don't want him to have this hold over me, but I'm reminded of him constantly," she explained. "When I get in a bath, I have a momentary flash of him planning to put me there, or what he would have done if he had."

Mulder tried to swallow his discomfort. He'd had the same images flash through his mind and they made his blood boil. His nightmares were plagued by images of her body bobbing in ruddy water or finding Pfaster's morbid trophies. He'd toured her apartment while they were waiting for the police to come, he saw the bath and the kitchen scissors laying on the sink. It bothered him to no end, but he knew his discomfort was nothing compared to what she was feeling.

"When I open my closet I swear I can still smell him, and I always think of myself on the floor trying to open the door," she continued, using her free hand to wipe her face. "I ran into Tobe when I went back to our house this morning and he called me 'girly girl' and, even though I knew it was impossible, for a split second I thought it was Pfaster."

"You ran into Tobe?" he asked in alarm. He didn't want to interrupt her, but he hadn't known that piece of information before.

She nodded, "He tried to attack me, but I beat him up."

He smiled at her resilience, but it quickly faded when he saw she wasn't relishing in the victory. "I am sick and tired of people trying to do whatever they want with me," she sighed before turning to him. "And I hate that I feel like I continue to give them that power by thinking about what they've done over and over and over again."

Scully sounded exhausted and he wished he could go back in time and help protect her from the evil that seemed to follow them everywhere. "You're processing what happened, it's completely normal. You've survived so much, it's impossible to leave unscathed."

She exhaled a laugh through her nose and upon his look said, "Sorry, I uh, I just realized I essentially told Rosemary the same thing earlier. I gave the advice, but can't seem to take it."

"It's easier said than done," he replied, wanting so badly to say the right thing - to say anything that might ease her burden even if only a little. "Why didn't you tell me before that you were having a hard time?"

"I didn't want you to look at me any differently," she mused, looking at his expression for a hint of judgement that she'd never find. "I don't want you to think I can't protect myself or you."

The thought she might ever think he would see her any differently because of what evil men had tried to do to her made his stomach churn. "Anyone who would see you differently because of any of that doesn't deserve your time, Scully," he stated firmly, grabbing both her hands with his own. "You are the strongest person I know."

"Knowing you believe in me gives me strength," she whispered.

"Well then you should never have a moment's doubt, because that will never change," he reassured. "I love you, Scully."

Her chin quivered as her eyes grew wet. "I love you, too," she murmured. He felt a doofy smile spread across his face. _Scully loves him._ Despite the living hell they'd just been through, he'd never felt better.

He scooted over in the bed and she took the initiative to crawl beside him, wrapping her arm around him. He kissed her head before whispering, "I think our whole relationship has been built on helping each other get through bad things that've happened to the both of us. As much as I wish our lives weren't surrounded by such darkness, I want you to know that I'll always be here for you."

He felt her smile against his chest before kissing his collarbone. "That's all I need."

He lay there, her head on his heart when he remembered something. "Hey, Scully?"

"Hmm?" she murmured, the events of the day making her sleepy.

"They took all the clothes from the compound as evidence, right?" he asked, rubbing his hand up and down her back.

"Yeah, why?" she mumbled, nuzzling into him.

"I think we need to collect your night dress, you know, for memory's sake."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed it! It was a labor of love and I'd love to hear if you liked it! 
> 
> Alyse, this was for you boo! I know you love horror, so I tried to incorporate as many horror references as I could! Here's the guide!
> 
> 1) Their aliases are Robert and Katherine Thorn (The Omen, also, Thornhill teehee)   
> 2) Helpful, nice side character named Dick Halloran (The Shining)  
> 3) The guy who escaped the cult is named Neil Howie (Protagonist from the infamous movie about a cult The Wickerman)  
> 4) Ed and Lorraine (Reference to Ed and Lorraine Warren, real paranormal investigators featured in The Conjuring) their daughter is Annabelle (the doll now in Ed and Lorraine’s possession as in Annabelle)  
> 5) The main cult leader is Victor Miller (writer of Friday the 13th)  
> 6) Rosemary (Rosemary’s Baby)  
> 7) Randy Meeks, dorky, kind character (Scream)  
> 8) Picked up in a red Plymouth Fury (car from Christine)  
> 9) Isaac Chroner (Children of the Corn)  
> 10) Laurie (Halloween)  
> 11) Tobe (Writer of Texas Chainsaw Massacre)  
> 12) Sally (Texas Chainsaw Massacre)  
> 13) Jason (Friday the 13th)  
> 14) Freddy (Nightmare on Elm Street)  
> 15) Their house number is a reference to the movie 1408.  
> 16) Halloran’s phone number 207-404-2604 was a promotional number used during the remake of Carrie.  
> 17) Norma and Alfred, Alex (Norma Bates and Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho. Alex Romero from The Bates Motel)  
> 18) Rachel (The Ring), Brigitte and Ginger (Ginger Snaps)  
> 19) A figure hiding in the clothesline (Halloween)  
> 20) 13 chapters (Spooky)


End file.
